DURBAN - NDWEDWE Municipality has set aside R14 million to build its first vehicle testing centre.
This was revealed by mayor Vincent Chili when tabling the R282 million budget on Friday.
The mayor told the Daily News on Sunday that his municipality was responding to many calls by motorists who had been complaining that they had to travel to oThongathi or Durban just to get this service.
Friday’s meeting took place after council failed three times to meet and pass the budget.
The municipality was at risk of being placed under the administration if it failed to meet.
Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Sipho Hlomuka was forced to intervene and visited the council last Monday where he warned the councillors about stripping their powers by placing the municipality under administration if they failed again.
The three meetings failed because some councillors refused to discuss the budget demanding that the council first deal with outstanding issues which included the suspension of 18 employees, the legal services manager and corporate director who were getting paid while sitting at home.
The mayor said they agreed with the opposition that the outstanding matters would be addressed and that passing the budget had to be prioritised because service delivery would have been affected.
EFF councillor Sabelo Hlophe said his party did not agree with passing the budget before outstanding issues were addressed but the majority of the councillors stayed when he walked out.
Chili said the vehicle testing centre would be built in a remote village of Bhamshela, near KwaMaphumulo, to cater for the people who live far from towns such as Verulam and oThongathi.
Further, he said once finished the centre would ease the burden and congestion at Verulam and oThongathi vehicle testing centres.
The mayor said the centre would be built in phases from grade F to C and it would be fully fledged and cater for all transport needs.
“Local municipalities such as ours in rural areas must bring such services closer to the people which will also create job opportunities for our youth.”
He said more than 200 job opportunities would be created once the centre was finished.
Other areas of focus Chili mentioned included building roads and supporting agricultural projects to strengthen economic development.
Daily News