Durban — Following recent engagements in uMlazi and Lamontville, the eThekwini Municipality continued its roadshow to provide the community with the details of its proposed R67.3 billion budget. The discussion took place at the eThekwini Community Church in the Durban CBD on Wednesday.
The roadshow’s Durban leg addressed the 2024/25 draft Integrated Development Plan (IDP). The budget of R67.3 billion – with an operating budget of R59.7bn and a capital budget of R7.6bn – is now in the consultation phase before final adoption.
eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said: “This budget is not our budget, it is the community’s budget.”
Kaunda said the City had an obligation to involve stakeholders, including businesses, in all issues regarding the IDP.
“We are here to hear your views and inputs. As residents of this city, we have also created digital platforms so that it’s easier for them to share views. This is community-based planning where we go to each ward and ask what are the main needs and priorities,” Kaunda said.
Kaunda said that during last year’s consultation at the same venue regarding the 2023/24 budget, the City made certain commitments.
He said that one of these – cleaning the city – was not finished but was near completion, and they were continuing to work on it.
Kaunda updated the community on one of their programmes – the Karimba Centre in ward 32, Albert Park.
“We are developing it as we need to profile people who are in the city. Through this, we also aim to develop a portal/app which will attract support from the national government. It will help with profiles of those in the city and to know what you are doing in the city. It also helps with monitoring registration,” Kaunda said.
Kaunda added that the centre would help with nutrition and food, as well as serve as a rehabilitation centre for drug users. There were also gardening projects the municipality would control, and it would address homelessness.
Thokoza Women’s Hostel resident Makhosi Ntuli said the women suffered for over a decade, and requested that something be done soon.
She said: “Since 2009, we have had five councillors and yet nothing has happened for us.
For over 10 years, “I have mentioned the same thing. We are overcrowded with over 3 000 people. We have not had power for the past nine days. We kindly request that we receive our own transformer as we are told that we are disturbing the neighbouring buildings.”
Ntuli said that last month the women decided to fight for themselves and protested following days of no electricity.
Ward 11 and Quarry Heights’ Bongani Mtnagala thanked the mayor for providing the community with an opportunity to address their issues and consider the plans on what to focus its budget on.
“The one issue is regarding the sewerage system in the Quarry Heights area. On regular occasions, it bursts and this causes multiple health complications within the community. Another issue we face are water leaks and they are affecting the roads, causing multiple potholes,” he said.
Pinky Gumede, who also resides in ward 11, echoed Mtnagala’s message on health complications and potholes, as well as stormwater issues.
Gumede said: “We have reported this on multiple occasions but have not received replies.”
Gumede referred to the funding allocated for the halls and said that Newlands East residents had halls already and that their only request was for a multipurpose centre.
Chairperson of Lower Morningside Ratepayers, David Badenhorst, referred to the parks – specifically Sutton Park – and how it was no longer safe.
“Trees are overgrown and there’s an issue of prostitution. As the ratepayers, we spoke to the parks department and nothing has happened.”
Badenhorst said a fence was built to try to secure the park, but after four weeks the fence had been vandalised. He concluded that there were reports on this, but nothing had been done.
The Chatsworth Concerned Citizens, in a joint statement, stated that the increase in municipal tariffs meant an increase in hardship. They told the City about water and electricity arrears.
“We are still in arrears from previous years.”
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Daily News