A Protea North resident has heaped praise on the City of Johannesburg for its prompt response in pruning a tree outside his house that was in dire need of attention. “I was incredibly impressed by the City’s fast turnaround time,” said the resident, who wished to remain anonymous. “After reporting the overgrown tree to my local council office, officials came out to assess it the very next day, and the tree trimming team arrived promptly the day after that.”
Delighted with the efficient service, the resident expressed his hope that this level of promptness would continue across all municipal services.
The resident, relieved by the timely action taken, emphasised the potential danger posed by the overgrown branches. “I only now realise how much of a hazard it was” he remarked. “The branches were hanging over my roof and blocking my view. Now I can finally see clearly outside again.”
In recognition of the exceptional service he received, the resident wrote a letter commending the team involved.
“I contacted my local council office for assistance with trimming a tree in my garden and I was very impressed by the swift response from officials Lawrence and Jeff, who promptly coordinated the task,” the letter reads.
“The team arrived on time and completed the job efficiently. I commend them for their meticulous work and thorough removal of all the trimmings. The pruning has not only significantly improved the look of my property but has also addressed important safety concerns. I am truly grateful for the City’s commitment to maintaining our public parks and ensuring resident safety.”
Lawrence Makasela, Operational Manager for Citizen Relationship and Urban Management’s (CRUM) Integrated Service Delivery (ISD) overseeing wards 11 to 15, including 53 and 135, explained the reasons behind the swift action taken.
“The resident visited the Protea North Customer Service Centre on 16 April 2024. The ward inspector and I conducted a site visit to assess the complaint the following day, 17 April 2024,” said Makasela.
Given the potential safety risk posed by the tree, the issue was promptly escalated, leading to the deployment of a five-person team to prune the tree. The entire task was completed within five hours.
“The Protea North CRUM-ISD office is committed to upholding the Batho Pele principles in all public service delivery requests. This ensures a coordinated effort to meet the needs of our residents within the prescribed service level agreements,” said Makasela.
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Written by Brümilda Swartbooi
07/05/2024
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