Westcliff residents are pouring in their praises of gratitude towards a local activist who has ensured that their service delivery and safety issues in the area are being dealt with timeously.
According to Westcliff Drive resident, Mohammed Kassim, the work of activist, Toney Pillay, is one to be reckoned with. “I have lived on Westcliff Drive for many years and was victim of numerous service delivery issues until I met Toney Pillay whose enthusiasm for community upliftment restored my faith in activists.” Kassim said he found out about Pillay through word-of-mouth, as had he assisted numerous residents in Chatsworth with the ongoing issue of exorbitant utility bills. “My mother was actually the one who approached Pillay, due to our utility bill, and although the issue has not yet fully been resolved the path to positive feedback is in sight.” Another age-old issue plaguing the Kassim household was the damage caused by overflowing stormwater drainage pipes.
Kassim said he complained to the municipality on several occasions, with no joy for almost three years. “Within two days of contacting Pillay, he had a team out to my house to evaluate the situation which is in the process of being fixed. Pillay has shown us that true activism is fast and efficient and always has the benefit of the resident at heart.” Pillay, who is a Croftdene native, said his community work does not discriminate and that those who need help should not hesitate to bring their issues to him. “I started my journey in community activism six years ago after being the last outgoing chairperson of the Croftdene Civic Association. “Through my work in the shipping industry as a supervisor, I learnt how to handle a team well. These leadership skills helped me in assisting the community at large since I could identify the fastest avenue to solve a problem while benefitting my fellow residents,” he said.
Pillay added that community work and good communication go hand-in-hand when dealing with poor service delivery. “Thus far, most of the issues identified as plaguing Chatsworth have boiled down to safety and security, overgrown vegetation and lack of grass cutting, stormwater drains and ageing infrastructure, high utility bills and dysfunctional streetlights. “These issues are not indigenous to specific units but to Chatsworth as a whole and it can only be eradicated if people put up a united front with us when addressing the relevant departments.” Pillay requests residents who face similar issues to contact him for assistance on 072-614-7169.
