Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbite in English by Cobus Nortje
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Rustenburg is deeply concerned about the ongoing failures at the Rustenburg Local Municipality (RLM) Call Centre. Poor communication between the Call Centre and operational teams is not only frustrating residents but also making it harder for councillors to get reliable information and help people quickly.
In one case, the timeline for fixing a leak was given as seven hours, but no team arrived within that time. When we followed up, the water unit claimed contractors were busy elsewhere but could not even provide an address. This lack of basic coordination and feedback is completely unacceptable.
The DA continues to receive complaints from residents who log issues but hear nothing back — or get vague, delayed, or misleading updates. In many cases, phones go unanswered altogether, leaving people in the dark when they need help the most.
This kind of poor communication is becoming the norm, not the exception. It causes unnecessary panic, damages public trust, and leaves residents in the dark about the services they rely on daily.
The DA calls on the Executive Mayor and Municipal Manager to fix the mess:
- Investigate and fix the breakdown between the Call Centre and technical teams.
- Train Call Centre staff to share clear, real-time updates.
- Put a proper tracking system in place so residents and councillors can follow up easily.
- Hold managers accountable when information is not shared properly.
Residents have a right to timely, honest, and clear communication—especially during service delivery interruptions. The current situation is unacceptable.
The Democratic Alliance will continue to push for the necessary reforms to ensure the municipality serves its people efficiently and transparently.