Officials from several of the City of Johannesburg and its entities are visiting areas in the city  under the banner of the Service Delivery Outreach Programme to ensure bylaw adherence and see that service delivery breakdowns are effectively and seen to.

The officials are from the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, Pikitup, Environmental Health, Johannesburg Roads Agency, City Power, Emergency Management Services and Johannesburg Water and they comprise the Integrated Visible Service Delivery (IVSD) team. So far the team has found several service delivery discrepancies and shortfalls particularly in and around the Maraisburg area.

These discrepancies included businesses not adhering to health and safety bylaws, the improper storage of goods, littering and leaking water outlets. These problems were promptly attended to by workers from the relevant municipal-owned entities.

Urban Inspector Kelebogile Dunn says the IVSD exercise is aimed at ensuring that services in the area were brought to acceptable levels.

“Using a multi-entity approach ensures that the identified breakdowns are timeously attended to and that the overall service level is improved,” explains Dunn.

“We focused on the adherence to the city’s bylaws to ensure businesses are licensed, comply with fire safety recommendations, adhere to health guidelines, including food expiry dates, and cleanliness of food preparation areas,” she adds.

During the patrol city officials also handed out leaflets to residents and business owners to inform them about the city’s services, road safety, recycling initiatives and environmental cleanliness as well as the relevant contact people and their telephone numbers should there be any service delivery challenges.

Dunn says the city is relying on its residents to be actively engaged and to log service delivery failures.

“As active citizens who live, work and play in the city, you need to get involved and be the ears and eyes of the city. That way you can hold local government officials accountable for service delivery,” Dunn told the residents during the inspection.