Today, the City notes the results of the recent 2018 South Africa Customer Satisfaction Index (SA-csi) for Municipalities conducted by Consulta.

The survey, conducted in the first quarter of 2018, canvassed some 296 residents and found that overall satisfaction within the City was measured 55 points,  0.4 points higher than in 2016 (54.6).

The survey measures residents’ satisfaction with the City’s ability to provide services against residents’ expectations of the City government. The message from the survey is clear – residents expect more from us and we need to work harder to bring the change they deserve.

Despite the growth in customer expectations of the City, the survey found that in terms of customer trust the City scored 63 points, above the 2018 Average for Trust of 62.6 and 4.6 points higher than the 58 points achieved by the City in 2016. The sustained increase in customer trust is a reflection of the continued confidence residents have in the multi-party government.

Whilst the survey insights into the perceptions held by some residents, such insights are equally limited by the survey’s given sample size. In a diverse city with 5 million residents, the sample size raises questions around the degree to which the survey is a complete representation of residents’ sentiment.

Irrespective of this, there is no denying that the City faces numerous longstanding challenges which have been decades in the making. In the past, spiraling infrastructure backlogs had been allowed to develop up to R170 billion backlog over ten years.

This comprises of 3900km of our road network which is in a poor condition. It includes close to 45 000 leaks in our porous water pipelines that leaked 107 billion litres of water in 2016/17. It involves a power network with 27% of its bulk transformers operating beyond its useful lifespan. These backlogs manifest every day in the service delivery issues which confront our residents daily.

This speaks nothing of those people in our City who live without the dignity of water, electricity, housing or roads.

It is for this reason that I have led the call for the implementation of our Diphetogo strategy in our communities as means of facing these challenges head on.

The Diphetogo strategy, a concept which captures the idea of real transformational changes, is a means of addressing the enormous inherited infrastructure backlogs that plague communities – including service delivery disruptions. The prioritization of this work in the 2018/19 budget will begin to achieve the long-term turnaround of the City and the change demanded by its residents.

However, given the enormity of the challenges we face, these changes cannot be effected overnight. In this respect, I am thankful for our residents continued patience and understanding.

As the City, we will continue to work with our communities in an effort to bring about better services for all.

Media enquires:

Luyanda Mfeka

Director: Mayoral Communications

Office of the Executive Mayor

Cell: 076 171 5978

Email: luyandam@joburg.org.za