4.6 DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
4.6.3 Consumer Participation
Empirical studies have indicated the existence of improved service delivery where consumers participate in issues regarding service delivery in partnership with municipalities (Naidoo &
Mosdell, 2004; Dawes & Rowley, 1998; Anton & Perkins, 1997; Clutterbuck & Kernagham, 1991).
This is clearly highlighted in the eThekwini Water and Sanitation Customer Service Charter. However, the majority of the respondents claimed that they were not aware of the charter.
27 This was expressed during the study's focus group discussions held on 21/6/2007.
•0 60
Furthermore, the White Paper on Transforming Public Sector Delivery, known as Batho Tele, published in 1997, highlights a demand-driven approach for institutions providing public services (Naidoo & Mosdell, 2004).
Naidoo & Mosdell (2004) note that this approach involves putting a framework in place for the delivery of public services, which treats citizens more like customers and enables citizens to hold public servants to account for the services they receive. Two of the eight Batho Pele principles concern the participation of consumers in basic service delivery:
• Consulting citizens about the level and quality of the public services they receive and, where possible, consulting them on the services that are offered;
• Determining service standards together with citizens, so that they know the level and quality of services that they can expect (Naidoo & Mosdell, 2004:24).
According to Schoeman & Magongoa (2004), the assessment of opportunities for participation in municipal activities related to evaluating delivery and performance include: attendance at ward committees, participation in meetings other than those offered by ward committee meetings and the identification of municipal and non-municipal committees that offer consumers an opportunity to participate in assessing municipal performance.
In this study, community participation in basic service delivery, especially with regards to water supply and sanitation, is very remote. Consumers expressed dissatisfaction with the level of their participation. They claimed that even though they attend and make their concerns heard in the ward committees and area meetings, they felt their concerns were never taken seriously. They also indicated that they are never consulted when new projects are undertaken in their areas. It is clear that consumer participation in the above three categories of evaluating consumer participation is unsatisfactory. The factors contributing to this phenomenon range from the unwillingness of the local people to attend the ward meetings to the lack of proper communication channels between the community and the local councillor. Information for participation and recourse for grievances is also not clearly communicated. The structure of communication, according to the consumers, is still top-down; generally Councillors speak on behalf of their constituents.29 In this regard, it is clear that the supply-driven approach does not allow consumers room to participate in critical matters such as those concerning water supply and sanitation services. In contrast, the demand-driven
28 This is a view of community members in the focus group discussions and an interview with the late Mr. Gcabashe, formerly the General Manager, Engineering services, EWS, conducted on 16/6/2007.
29 This aspect exacerbates the already frustrating situation of unhappiness among consumers due to a general inefficient service delivery- an interview with Dudu Khumalo, formerly Regional Co-ordinator, SAMWU, water supply and sanitation services held on 6/6/2007.
61 61
approach does take into account the expressed needs of consumers (Wright, 1997).
There is a critical need for the Municipality to encourage more comprehensive participation of communities in basic service provision. Equally, important is the need to challenge the stereotype that informal settlement communities are unaware of what they want. This study challenges that mindset because, as discussed in Chapter 2, consumers know what is like to utilize a particular service and also can make meaningful contributions towards service improvement if only they their voices are heard. Finally, the variety of committees and other processes that exist in the study area imply that it is feasible for the Municipality to reach a diverse number of consumers from all walks of life without necessarily creating or adding more structures and processes. What is needed is affirmation from the Municipality that the people's participation in issues of basic service delivery is important. Equally important, there is also need to demonstrate that it values consumers' concerns and it takes them seriously. This would go a long way towards improving the provider- consumer relationship.
4.6.4 Perceived Relationship with the EWS
Generally, consumers would be expected to have good relationship with their service provider, be it a mobile phone network company or health service institution or electricity company or even banks, as these institutions all need to maintain good customer relationships (Cant et al, 2006; Schoeman
& Magongoa, 2004; Naidoo & Mosdell, 2004). Consumer demands are growing rapidly, and utilities have to change with the needs of the consumers (Naidoo & Mosdell, 2004). Empirical studies have shown that where the consumer's relationship with the service provider is healthy, conflicts are minimal and consumer loyalty is high (Collingnon & Venzina, 2000; Carr, 1990;
DPSA, 1997).
In this study, the majority of respondents were satisfied with their relationship with the EWS.
However there were perceived difficulties in terms of responses to consumer complaints and corresponding feedback to the consumer. Most of the problems associated with the response from the EWS related to the huge arrears that consumers had incurred over a period of time, as well as problems relating to reconnection fees. Even though the EWS has a call-centre to respond to these queries, the response time is usually slow and the majority of the respondents indicated that this delay in response time may mean long periods of time without water in their households.
Administrative cumbersomeness was another critical problem that consumers highlighted. The key administrative concerns related to delayed billing and communication about new products such as
62
debt relief facilities and existing payment options. In its customer charter, the EWS as a utility encourages consumers to lodge complaints with the senior officer or call centre if any service provided is not satisfactory. However, during focus group discussions the majority of the respondents claimed that they have neither seen nor heard about the charter. The EWS needs to bring information about how to lodge a complaint closer to the people it serves. For their part, consumers need to make more efforts to contact the EWS customer care services to lodge their complaints.