Durban — EThekwini Municipality mayor Mxolisi Kaunda challenged those who said the City was unstable and called for the KwaZulu-Natal leadership to combine forces and rally behind the municipality to see it through turbulent times.
Kaunda also took a swipe at naysayers when he delivered the State of the City Address (Soca) on Wednesday by stating that the City’s financial standing is healthy and functional.
Kaunda said: “I want to tell those that say this City is on the verge of collapse that our City is slowly rising again. We continue to honour our financial obligations, such as paying Eskom and Umgeni Water. The City does not owe these entities even a cent. Hence our people do not have any problems in receiving these services.”
Kaunda further said the leadership of eThekwini has committed itself to serve its people, adding that, therefore, all the City’s councillors are always available to serve the people that elected them into office.
“We can see that our City is slowly becoming a clean African City again, and for that, we thank the newly re-branded Solid Waste Management and Durban Cleansing department’s new head, who has brought renewed focus in keeping our City clean. This is our demonstration that we fully understand the responsibility to promote a safe and healthy environment.”
Kaunda said they had identified five key priorities:
1. Building adequate infrastructure to improve service delivery;
2. Job creation;
3. Skills development;
4. Fighting crime to create safe living spaces;
5. A resilient social solidarity economy.
“In this regard, we stand before you to bring hope and renew the people’s contract by presenting bold and tangible interventions that will ensure no one is left behind,” Kaunda said.
He said they had embarked on campaigns to encourage communities to pay for their own services and had also created platforms for the communities to create their own economic opportunities.
Kaunda further said the City had engaged with Amakhosi to encourage people in their areas about the proposed R100 tariff, which he said was not compulsory, but only those who could afford it could pay it. The tariff is to be used as a tool to provide services such as proper roads, refuse removal and sanitation for these communities.
With regards to the rampant crime that has ravaged many communities around eThekwini, Kaunda said they had put plans in place to fight the scourge but emphasised that fighting crime should be a societal responsibility.
Kaunda said the City had collaborated with Transnet and Prasa to ensure there is local beneficiation from their major projects implemented in the City, adding that Sanral would be investing over R40 billion in the next three years for the N2 and N3 upgrades.
“Through the eThekwini Municipal Academy, we will work with TVET colleges and the private sector to establish work readiness centres. We are introducing a new IT Skills Development Programme where we aim to train one million young people on IT skills over three years through the Isibanisolusha Programme. We also plan to place graduates in the municipality and engage other sister organisations to provide opportunities to the youth to ensure they complete their qualifications and gain work experience.”
Kaunda added that the City had provided R1.5 billion as flood relief grant, an addition to the R185 million provided six months after the floods. The grant will be made to address the roads, bridges, stormwater systems, human settlement and sanitation issues.
“Today, we can proudly say that over 8 000 families who were displaced by floods are now in safe family accommodation. We are also accelerating a programme of building permanent houses for them.
“The City has also completed 11 flood-related water projects in areas such as Hillcrest, Dassenhoek, Reservoir Hills, Amanzimtoti, Wyebank and Chatsworth at a cost of R64 million. We are finalising plans to upgrade the Southern Aqueduct project, which cost over R900 million, which after completion, will provide areas such as Umlazi, Ngonyameni, KwaMakhutha, Adams and Chatsworth with reliable water supply. To improve water accessibility in areas where we have water network challenges, the municipality is procuring 55 new water tankers to add onto the current fleet.”
Kaunda said the City aimed at eradicating pit latrines, adding that all communities would soon have flushing toilet systems.
He cautioned communities about cable theft, saying these added to the load shedding problems.
Kaunda said the port City eThekwini aims to attract R30 billion in investment through which it hopes to create around 67 500 jobs per year.
“The City continues to invest in building libraries, community centres and sports facilities”.
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Daily News