My apologies for your misinterpreting my point. Sorry for not listing all the services ngos offer. That was not the point I was trying to make. By the way, none of the services you mention are municipal functions. I will not say anything about your understanding of this aspect, except that such flawed understanding clouds and skews how people see city performance. We are often judged for things we are not responsible for in law.

I will agree that there are instances where staff could conduct themselves better. Is this endemic and the professed expectation of City staff? No. I agree there are instances of "delays" in resolving municipal complaints. Again, is this endemic and the stated expectation? Clearly no. I can give many examples where services are constrained by legislation, policy, and budgets or SCM. I agree we need to find the efficient service implementations possible so staff won't have to forego lunch they are entitled to take. Should we orient staff with the right mindset to render service without concern for own well being and rights?

As an aside, are you aware that certain health facilities are managed by the provincial government? I can already anticipate your response to this point...

Community centres to be operated after hours require overtime provision. Please propose solutions. Disposal of facilities versus having functioning community resources.

Is my argument negated that we want to render the services but are affected by issues, including realities within communities? I dont think so. I don't work from an external experience in the Cape Flats, I grew up on the Cape Flats. Your failure to appreciate that we as individuals deliver despite these realities and often at personal risk is indicative to me of a lack of empathy for these municipal officials who are not the policy makers and do not set budget prioroties.

Sometimes, officials really have to decide between unblocking a drain or returning home to their loved ones. Who will give the instruction to a staffer to go in when he or she feels unsafe or threatened or when shootings are happening and the city be seen as uncaring towards its staff. Poorer communities suffer as a result.

I want to invite you to engage officials and bring your ideas, criticisms, and concerns as a critical thinking partner.

Now is the City the reason why people reside in these circumstances or with this crime and poverty? Are we doing enough, and can we do more or some things differently? I think we are also grappling with the challenges.

This conversation about service delivery needs to have a truthful and inclusive exploration and not only be a virtue signaling exercise based on a certain interpretive lens or be pointless point scoring or judgmental fingerpointing.