Hillary, 16 October 2025 — Residents of Hillary gathered at the Revival Fellowship Church in Dickens Road for a community meeting to address ongoing water and electricity outages affecting the area.
The meeting was made possible through the collaboration of Community Policing Forum (CPF) Subforum 2 Chairperson Riki Devanarain and Ward Councillor Samantha, who facilitated the attendance of the Heads of Department (HODs) for both Water and Sanitation and Electricity from eThekwini Municipality.
During the session, residents voiced their frustrations over recurring service delivery issues, including sewage leaks into local rivers, frequent power interruptions, and persistent water leaks. The HODs provided valuable insight into the municipality’s current challenges, noting that many stem from the aging infrastructure and limited maintenance over time. They assured residents that these concerns are being addressed as part of a municipal Turnaround Strategy, soon to be published.
In a show of transparency and accountability, departmental heads took turns responding directly to questions from residents, explaining both the systemic constraints and the steps being taken to improve response times when service tickets are logged.
Councillor Samantha reaffirmed her commitment to the ward, thanking residents for their engagement and emphasising the importance of collaboration between the community and municipal leadership. She acknowledged issues such as incomplete backfills and substandard repair work and confirmed that these matters are now under review.
The meeting concluded on a hopeful note, with officials including Nolwazi (Water and Sanitation) and Mnandi (Electricity Maintenance) pledging to work closely with the community to ensure that service delivery issues are handled swiftly and effectively.
Residents left the meeting encouraged by the open dialogue and renewed focus on accountability — a positive step toward ensuring that the community’s concerns are heard and acted upon.