Umhlathuze Mayor plans to tackle water issues despite fraud allegation linked to its bulk supplier
Richards Bay - City of uMhlathuze Mayor Xolani Ngwezi has prioritised water provision in areas such as Esikhaleni, which he says has been hard hit by water outages for a prolonged period.
Ngwezi, who recently completed nine months in the office, said they had been doing assessments in various departments in the hopes of turning the situation around.
He also shared the progress he made and challenges since he took over as the mayor of the Richards Bay-based municipality in the north of KwaZulu-Natal.
Ngwezi said that there were challenges, such as limited water infrastructure, among other factors, when the new administration came into power. However, he said they were working towards a resolution.
"This administration inherited a dysfunctional system infested by many historical protest actions that saw the previous governing party losing its grip,” he said.
The IFP, to which Ngwezi belongs, snatched the municipality in coalition with other smaller parties from the ANC during the local government election last year November.
Ngwezi claimed that there were numerous sabotage incidents supposedly committed by the aggrieved previous administration to the water infrastructure to prove his party (IFP) as the failure.
He said despite this, his administration continued in its effort to provide clean running water to the citizens of Esikhawini and other areas.
"Where we are still using water tankers in areas where the water infrastructure has been damaged, but the recovery is ongoing. I am happy to report that the Managing Director of WEG Projects, the company contracted by uMhlathuze Water Board to construct a 15 megalitre package plant, has promised us that the work should be done and completed by December,” he said.
Ngwezi said the packaging plant would add water supply in 15 wards of Esikhaleni, Dlangezwa, Felixton, Niwe and surrounding areas.
He said the municipality has two generators installed in the interim, which helped pump water since the fire incident, which took place last month.
"Three High Lifts Pumps are running. However, we are still restricting at Forest reservoir as we are building levels," added Ngwezi.
Nkosenye Zulu, City Manager, said the municipality was looking for a clean audit.
"Some of the matters were inherited from the previous administration. They have been corruption cases that have been reported, and they are currently being investigated by the Hawks.
“They are not allowed to do any business with the state entities since they are alleged. We have also reported them (suspects) to the treasury and black-listed them as well," said Zulu.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE