OPINION | Has Poor Service Delivery Become Normal in Komani?

From rubbish piling up along pavements to overgrown walkways and ongoing water outages, the signs of declining service delivery in Komani are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

Yet, despite this, many residents appear to be continuing with daily life around these conditions — raising a difficult but important question: has poor service delivery become normal?

Across town, waste can be seen in public spaces, along streets, and on pavements. In some areas, rubbish remains for extended periods, becoming part of the environment rather than a temporary issue.

At the same time, pavements in many parts of Komani are overgrown with long grass and are no longer usable. This has led to situations where residents are forced to walk in the road alongside moving traffic, creating avoidable safety risks.

Road conditions also remain a concern, with potholes in certain areas left unattended for extended periods. Water outages in some communities continue to disrupt daily life, sometimes lasting days or longer.

These issues are not isolated. They reflect ongoing challenges in the delivery of basic municipal services — services that are essential for maintaining a safe, functional and dignified town.

However, what is perhaps more concerning is not only the condition of these services.

It is the response to them.

There appears to be a growing sense that these conditions are being tolerated. Issues that would once have prompted immediate complaints and demands for action are, in some cases, met with resignation.

This shift in expectation matters.

When communities begin to accept declining standards, it becomes easier for those conditions to persist without urgency.

A visible example can be found in the town centre, where a fallen streetlight pole has reportedly remained on a traffic island for months without being repaired or removed. It stands as a reminder of how unresolved issues can remain in place over time.

Maintaining roads, managing waste, and ensuring that public spaces are safe and accessible are core responsibilities of local government. These are not optional services — they are fundamental.

At the same time, the role of residents remains important.

Residents are encouraged to continue raising concerns, reporting issues, and engaging through lawful and appropriate channels, including municipal reporting systems and ward representatives.

Remaining engaged is one of the ways communities can help ensure that standards do not continue to decline.

The question now is not only about the current state of service delivery.

It is about whether it is slowly becoming accepted.

Because once a community becomes accustomed to decline, reversing it becomes far more difficult.

Komani and the broader Chris Hani District are not beyond improvement. But maintaining standards will require both effective service delivery and a community that continues to expect and demand better.

For now, the question remains:

Has poor service delivery become normal in Komani?