The scene is frustratingly familiar — contractors, whether hired by the municipality or working for fibre installation companies, arrive at residential properties to complete a job.
They dig trenches, disrupt driveways and uproot gardens to install services.
But when the work is done, they disappear, leaving a mess and empty promises to return.
This newspaper is inundated with complaints from exasperated residents who have been left to deal with the aftermath, while the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality turns a blind eye to its responsibilities.
Pumla Mabusela of Algoa Park said her once-immaculate driveway and carefully maintained front garden — both investments of time and money — had been left in disarray after municipal technicians dug a trench to fix a faulty electricity connection.
Her ordeal started in November when the technicians had to dig up the front of her property to fix a faulty electricity connection.
The job quickly turned into a nightmare when for a month she fought to get the municipality to restore her property.
When workers finally responded, they did so with indifference
While they closed the trench, they left her driveway littered with boulders and debris.
Some may dismiss this as a minor inconvenience in a city plagued by larger issues, but this is about more than just a few scattered rocks or an unfinished job. It is about respect.
Residents take pride in their homes, investing in paving, gardens and landscaping to create spaces of beauty and comfort.
When municipal contractors treat these spaces with disregard, they send a message to residents that their concerns do not matter.
The municipality must step up and do better by holding its contractors and staff accountable.
It must instil a culture in the workforce which is mindful and respectful, and this starts with civil servants taking pride in the work they do.
The Herald
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.