The City of Cape Town has unveiled a series of innovative features on its web service request page aimed at streamlining fault reporting and service requests for residents.
These enhancements, which include advanced map functionality with the ability to drop pins and pinpoint fault locations, will greatly facilitate reporting in cases where an exact street address is unavailable, such as public open spaces and informal settlements.
With a strong commitment to excellent service delivery, the City of Cape Town has dedicated nearly two years to refining and testing these enhancements on its website.
Now live and operational, these additions are set to revolutionise the reporting process, enabling different City directorates to respond more efficiently and effectively. Inaccurate addresses or incorrect service requests often lead to unnecessary delays, making these improvements all the more valuable.
Alderman Theresa Uys, the mayoral committee member for corporate services, expressed her enthusiasm for the project, stating, ‘The City of Cape Town is always striving to make it easier for residents to engage with us and report service requests or faults.’
‘These enhancements to the web service request page are a testament to our ongoing efforts. By implementing these features, we are confident that our response times will improve significantly.’
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The enhancements to the web page offer residents five key features:
- Additional search options to assist residents in identifying and selecting the appropriate category for their complaint or request.
- Category descriptions and photos for certain complex categories, providing directorates with a clearer understanding of the selected complaint type and ensuring accurate reporting.
- The Google Maps application has been replaced with the City’s Geographic Information System (GIS) map, enhancing the accuracy of location information.
- Status updates subscription: Residents now have the option to subscribe and receive status updates on existing incidents reported by others in their local neighbourhood, including burst pipes, potholes and electricity outages.
- In cases where a service request has been closed but the work remains incomplete, residents can now dispute the closure. The dispute process allows residents to attach evidence, such as photos, and escalates the matter to response teams for further investigation and intervention.
Alderman Uys emphasised the significance of the option to dispute closed service requests, saying, ‘It often occurs that multiple individuals report the same fault to the City, such as a burst pipe or pothole.’
‘Typically, the City will keep one service request open while closing the others, even if repairs are still underway. This notification of successful completion and closure can understandably confuse residents. By introducing the option to dispute closed service requests, we provide an avenue for residents to alert us when further action is required.’
Residents are encouraged to explore these exciting new enhancements, designed to improve the City of Cape Town’s responsiveness and interventions. Detailed video tutorials illustrating step-by-step instructions on utilising the features can be found on the City’s website.
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