Durban - The mayor of the DA-run uMngeni Local Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands has warned against complacency as they continue to “fix” the municipality they snatched from the ANC in November 2021.
Chris Pappas said while a lot has been achieved in the past 17 months they have been in power, a lot still needs to be done.
He was speaking on Tuesday in Howick while presenting his municipality’s R571-million budget for the 2023–2024 financial year.
NEWS: These are some of the achievements Umngeni local municipality Mayor, Chris Pappas from the DA, highlighted in his budget a short while ago. However, the ANC in the council says it is "disapproving of this budget (sic)." @IOL pic.twitter.com/kNj0Pzi19O
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) May 23, 2023
The speech was a rowdy affair as the ANC and the EFF kept on raising points of order and they alleged that the pre-budget roadshows shunned black areas – a claim that was shot down as a lie.
In the end, the parties said they disapproved of the budget as it left out formerly black areas and catered for the interest of the white elite in areas like Hilton and Howick while leaving out areas like Mpophomeni.
Despite all that, Pappas used the budget to outline what they have achieved in the almost two they have been in power and how they intend to move forward.
Video: Sihle Mavuso/IOL
Among the achievements he counted was that they now have a clear register of municipal assets and they now have clear working patterns.
WATCH: The leader of the DA in KwaZulu-Natal, Francois Rodgers, attended today's budget speech by Umngeni local municipality Mayor, Chris Pappas. He said the budget is all about service delivery, as the case should be with the local government sphere. @IOL pic.twitter.com/54pP3U0NHP
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) May 23, 2023
“The municipality now has a consolidated asset register where we can account for our R1.2 billion assets,” Pappas said.
He also said the municipality has invested in equipment such as tipper trucks, excavators and refuse collection trucks.
On the infrastructure front, he said the municipality has installed street lights and repaired some of them even where Eskom should be responsible, re-gravelled roads that were in poor conditions and assisted small businesses with equipment.
However, all these achievements have been made while the municipality is still facing challenges.
Pappas was candid enough to admit that electricity theft is still a major problem and they spend a fortune in that regard.
“Electricity theft remains our biggest problem.
“The municipality loses up to R40m a year in stolen electricity.
NEWS: Umngeni municipality Mayor, Chris Pappas, is now halfway through with his budget speech. In the main, he says they will not allow complacency to creep in and undo all the great work they have done since 2021. He says they are now forging ahead with infrastructure projects. pic.twitter.com/lBrF18f2rR
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) May 23, 2023
“This electricity that we consume from Eskom but for which there is no income because of illegal connections and by-passed meters,” he said.
He also came to say how the near collapse of the ANC-led uMgungundlovu District Municipality, which has to provide water and sanitation services to local municipalities, has stalled all their housing projects.
“All our housing projects remain at a standstill due to the lack of bulk water and sanitation provision by uMgungundlovu,” he said.
Second to that challenge, Pappas said, are ratepayers who not pay their property taxes and he said they are currently owed R180m.
“These are funds owed to the municipality that should be used to deliver services.
“Some methods that we will be implementing in the new financial year include acquiring the services of a specialised debtor collector, pursuing large sums through legal mechanisms, and instructing our existing debt collection service providers to pursue more dedicated means to collect outstanding funds.”
Pappas also revealed that after years of neglect, they need a sum of R350m a year to restore roads together with stormwater infrastructure.
Hence for this financial year, with their limited resources, they have allocated R24m for road rehabilitation.
Other funds will go to creating jobs and growing the local economy, beefing up security measures and waste management.
In fighting corruption which was once endemic during the previous administration, Pappas said they will not hesitate to act against rogue officials and councillors.
“We have seen a number of resignations of officials, I will not mince my words in saying that where an employee or a councillor is an obstruction to progress and stability we will deal decisively with them.”
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