Big Fix Coming: eThekwini to Revamp Contact Centre Amid Rising Calls

The eThekwini Municipality will overhaul its Water and Sanitation Contact Centre in the 2025/26 financial year, introducing new technology and a WhatsApp-based reporting channel to ease congestion and improve service delivery.

According to the municipality, the upgrade includes replacing the current contact system with one that can auto-log faults and send feedback directly to residents. The move is aimed at addressing persistent challenges, including delays in fault resolution and high call volumes.

Acting Deputy City Manager for Trading Services, Ednick Msweli, presented the update to the Executive Committee this week, noting that budget constraints had delayed the planned modernisation until now.

The City said it is committed to reducing customer waiting times and aims to answer all calls within 30 seconds once the new system is in place. As part of the preparation, it recently installed a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) system to help manage congestion and improve call quality.

In March alone, the centre received over 80,000 calls and responded to nearly 39,000 chat messages — highlighting the growing demand for efficient service.

Msweli said the City will continue exploring new digital channels to reduce pressure on voice calls and give residents more options to report water-related issues.

The City’s update also included the current state of water supply across regions. While most areas — including the inner west, outer west, and south — have a 90% supply rate, the north and central regions are slightly behind at 85%.

The Water and Sanitation Unit acknowledged ongoing water outages in some areas, which are still being supported by water tankers due to limited bulk supply and system limitations.

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Sourced:IOL

Picture: Bloemberg