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| EThekwini Municipality Mayor, Cllr Mxolisi Kaunda. Picture: www.durban.gov.za |
Nokwanda Ncwane
EThekwini Municipality Mayor, Cllr Mxolisi Kaunda has issued a directive that restrictions must be imposed in some of the city's open spaces and public facilities. This follows the announcement of the National State of Disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday.
The directive is as follows:
1. Libraries - All municipal libraries will be closed, but the staff will be at work.
2. Community Halls - All functions will be limited to grouping of less than 100 as per the directive of President Cyril Ramaphosa. Events previously planned where more than 100 people were expected have been cancelled.
3. Cemeteries - During funerals, community is encouraged to limit the number of mourners to family members only or to restrict the mourners to not more than 50 at the cemetery. Mourners should keep to burial time slots allocated to prevent delays in accessing the cemetery.
4. Museums - All museums will be closed to the public, but the staff will be at work.
5. Durban Art Gallery - Number of visitors will be restricted to less than 50 at a time, school bookings will be restricted and only open after Easter.
6. Arts and Living Cultures - All events, cultural or departmental programmes are cancelled indefinitely.
7. Gospel Icon Discovery Competition - The 7th Gospel ID competition is now postponed, and new dates will be announced after Easter.
8. Parks - Access to parks will be monitored. Weddings and social gatherings are now suspended, indefinitely.
9. Swimming and beach bathing - All swimming pools will be closed effective immediately for the duration of schooling break and will reopen after Easter. Bathing in all beaches is now prohibited with immediate effect, however, lifeguards will remain on duty to monitor and ensure safety.
10. Informal settlements and transit camps - The Municipality will provide water storage tanks in all informal settlements where no communal ablution facilities exist. These will filled by mobile water tankers, installation of liquid soap dispensers and hand sanitisers at all communal ablution facilities in informal settlements and transit facilities.
11. Hostels and communal residential units - Hand sanitisers will be provided in the 10 hostels. These will be installed in bathrooms and access points and regularly filled by cleaning staff. There will be on going sanitation and cleaning of facilities to ensure hygiene for the 181 000 occupants.
12. Public transport - The Municipality has 25 taxi ranks across the city and it has already engaged with stakeholders within the industry to create awareness and bring alignment on measures to prevent the spread of the virus. The following actions have been planned and some being commissioned.
(i)) Public taxi ranks - The taxi industry is already distributing sanitisers to commuters. The Municipality has improved cleaning of ablution facilities within taxi ranks to include sanitisers and ensuring that they are continuously disinfected.
(ii) Bus Operation (Fleet) - A meeting has been held with Bus Operators and consensus reached that they will be procuring and installing hand sanitiser holders in buses. The drivers will receive gloves, masks and individual sanitisers.
The eThekwini Mayor has ordered the city management team to be vigilant and ensure that safety measures, including but not limited to hand sanitisers, wet wipes, continuous cleaning of public spaces and educating of public continues in Municipal facilities.
The Municipality has also encouraged residents to make use of the electronic systems of payment to pay their accounts where possible. Customers can access their utility bills on the following link: http:www.gov.za/Online_Tools/Pages/eAccount_Registration.aspx
Alternatively, customers who have enquiries can contact the customer service helpline on 031 324 5000
Fax number : 031 324 5111
Office hours : Mon - Fri from 07:30 to 16:30
Saturdays : from 07:30 to 11:30
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