South Africa’s president took a call about leaky sewers to inaugurate a hot line meant to help fulfill his campaign promises to be responsive and accessible.
Jacob Zuma’s office says he answered two of the busy first day’s calls Monday, including one from a woman who described problems getting her late husband’s pension.
The line’s 40 staffers route problems to national and provincial offices.
Not all the calls were from ordinary South Africans. The main opposition party called requesting an investigation into a lawyer with legal problems who has been appointed adviser to the defense minister.
But the call raised another complaint: The opposition says it took 80 minutes and six phone calls to get through.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
