Behind the Scenes: Giving Bazley a Voice at Municipal Level
By Rory Jardim, Vice Chairperson, Bazley Residents Association
One of my responsibilities as Vice Chairperson of the B.R.A. is engaging with Umdoni Municipality on behalf of Bazley residents. This involves raising service delivery issues, attending meetings, following up on commitments and, where necessary, advocating for our community’s interests.
While progress is occasionally achieved, the reality is that securing attention and resources for a small coastal community such as Bazley remains an ongoing challenge.
A municipality with competing priorities
Umdoni Municipality consists of 19 wards, the majority of which are predominantly rural, with only four urban coastal wards. As a result, competition for limited municipal resources is significant, and smaller communities such as Bazley often struggle to receive the attention and resources they require.
Bazley falls within Ward 7, which is represented by Councillor Sithembiso Mthwane of the ANC.
With local government elections scheduled for November, I would encourage all eligible residents and homeowners to play an active role in the democratic process. The decisions made by local government have a direct impact on service delivery, infrastructure maintenance, environmental management and community safety. By participating in the electoral process, residents help shape the future direction of the municipality and ensure that the needs of communities such as Bazley are represented.
Homeowners who are registered to vote in the area can cast their ballots at the Sezela Library voting station.
You can quickly check whether you’re registered to vote, where you’re registered, and which voting station you’ll use through the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC):
Online
The easiest option is the IEC’s voter information portal:
Enter your 13-digit South African ID number and the system will show:
- Whether you’re registered
- Your voting station
- Your ward details
- Whether your address is correctly captured
SMS
You can also SMS your ID number to:
32810 (R1 per SMS) to receive your registration status.
The IEC WhatsApp chatbot is available on:
060 088 0000 and can assist with voter registration and status checks
An unstable operating environment
One of the greatest frustrations facing community organisations such as the B.R.A. is the instability within the municipality itself. Commitments made during meetings are not always honoured, while changes in leadership and short-term appointments make it difficult to maintain momentum on projects and service delivery issues.
Despite numerous engagements, a number of commitments and action items remain outstanding. This often results in having to revisit the same issues repeatedly and continually advocate for progress on matters affecting our community.
The current environment requires persistence, patience and ongoing engagement with municipal officials and elected representatives.
The challenge of representing Bazley
Securing municipal resources and services for Bazley can be difficult within a municipality facing numerous competing demands. However, this makes relationship-building all the more important.
Over time, the B.R.A. has worked hard to establish constructive relationships with a range of stakeholders who can assist when service delivery issues arise. I would like to acknowledge the support and guidance received from local representatives, including Alan Cutten, DA Ward 10 Councillor, as well as Zuret Opperman and Eddie Baptie, who have assisted us in navigating municipal processes and escalating matters affecting our community.
These relationships play an important role in ensuring that Bazley’s concerns are heard and that service delivery issues receive the attention they deserve.
What you as homeowners can do
Meaningful change requires community participation.
When reporting service delivery issues, I encourage homeowners to log complaints directly with Umdoni Municipality’s Customer Care Services. Complaints can be submitted via WhatsApp, SMS, telephone or email, and a reference number will be issued to assist with tracking and follow-up. Logging issues through the official channels helps create a record of recurring problems and provides accountability within the system.
Residents can also raise service delivery concerns through the independent Ask Your Councillor platform, which provides a neutral forum for engaging with elected representatives and reporting local issues.
Community social media platforms can also be an effective way of highlighting service delivery concerns and bringing attention to matters affecting our area.
Continuing to advocate for Bazley
Although the challenges are considerable, the B.R.A. remains committed to engaging with municipal officials, councillors and other stakeholders on behalf of our community.
Much of this work happens behind the scenes and progress is often slow. However, through persistence, constructive engagement and community support, we will continue advocating for the services and infrastructure that Bazley residents deserve.
Useful contacts and links
Umdoni Municipality Customer Care Services
WhatsApp / Call / SMS: 082 904 6165
Email: shanazk@umdoni.gov.za
Umdoni Municipality Councillors
https://www.umdoni.gov.za/councillors/council
Ask Your Councillor – Community Service Delivery Group
https://askyourcouncillor.co.za/
Umdoni Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/share/1Hp9SFjiaZ/
The more residents who actively report issues, engage with councillors and participate in local government processes, the stronger Bazley’s collective voice becomes.
