Charles Daniels, chairperson, Lavender Hill Civic Association
We the people of Lavender Hill would like the City of Cape Town to remove Hillary Goliath from the Retreat Housing office as she has no people skills nor is she able to deal with issues that affect the ordinary law-abiding citizens of Lavender Hill and Retreat .
She has no open door policy for the community and her role as a manager seems to be focused on how many people she can evict.
She refuses to meet with community organisations let alone with the tenants. She is bound to see as many people evicted while stationed at the Retreat Housing Office .
She does not tackle the illegal activities happening in the rented stock . We would like to know from your office if this is an instruction from your office and that she should not be meeting with any organisation even if they are part of the ward forum.
We would also request that your department bring Ms Preorius back to the housing office as we at least could sit around the table and resolve issues. Ms Pretorius was a strict person but made time to listen to people and organisations even if it did not go their way. Ms Goliath seems to be owning that office, taking no accountability for the people she needs to serve .
We therefore call on your office to replace her as we have no place for dictatorship in this democratic South Africa. We patiently wait on feedback from your office.
* Benedicta van Minnen, mayoral committee member for human settlements, responds: “It is important for residents to remember that in general, City officials across all directorates need to adhere to and work within the applicable legislation and policies which govern their respective fields, including the decision-making. This bureaucratic process strives to ensure that officials are held accountable by the applicable legislation, which guides decision-making in order to ensure that residents are treated fairly.
Therefore, as with any matter, the City encourages residents to formally submit any complaints relating to housing maintenance queries or staff conduct in writing to their local housing office for further investigation. Residents are advised to submit detailed accounts to substantiate their claims, which will be thoroughly investigated.
Furthermore, we as the City in general cannot tackle illegal activity or anti-social behaviour on our own. We need the community’s help. We therefore encourage residents to report any untoward activities to the South African Police Service, as they are the lead authority on investigating criminal matters.
The City welcomes the community’s feedback on matters pertaining to the municipality so that we can work together towards creating a well-run city