Council project yields no results

The Lungile Mtshali development project went ahead even though concerns were raised.

Now the project has been branded as a waste of rate payers’ money and council resources.

In two months, 60 employees for ward 18 and 19 were paid R240 000 to clean a handful of parks and the Edenvale Cemetery.

The first of its kind project received the final go ahead from council in February, despite concerns raised by councillors.

The project was initiated to alleviate poverty and unemployment in the region by giving each ward R1-million for ward-based projects.

The money would be used to employ 30 residents from each ward and in total, 3 030 unemployed Ekurhuleni residents would be given a job.

Ward councillors were given an opportunity to submit ward-based plans, tailor-made to suit the needs of each area.

Edenvale projects included a portion of the funds to kick-start the rejuvenation of the Illiondale Wetlands, while the rest would be used to clean streets, clear gutters and maintain parks.

In July last year, when the project was meant to begin, councillors were called into a meeting where they were showed a presentation of the framework.

Again, councillors raised concerns over how the project would be managed.

Another meeting was called in December, and this time councillors were told because the majority of Ekurhuleni’s wards elected to spend the money allocated on cleaning streets, gutters and parks, the project would be re-directed.

Lungile Mtshali would now focus on supplementing maintenance and cleaning throughout Ekurhuleni.

Councillors and stakeholders were also told that Mr Sakie Kekana was appointed to manage the project.

Applications for employees of the project opened for the first time from December 12 to December 18.

“Many of the residents in ward 18 and ward 19 were on holiday at that time,” said the ward 18 councillor, Clr Heather Hart.

Following a poor response from the December applications, the process was re-opened again in February.

While it was not approved as part of the project, R5-million was set aside for the promotion of positions within the Lungile Mtshali project.

Advertising promises, which would gain the interest of local residents including loud hailers in the streets and pamphlets, never materialised and due to challenges with capturing payment details, employees were only paid for work done in March and mid-April.

Another issue facing workers employed under Lungile Mtshali is that they have not been issued with any equipment.

Lungile Mtshali employees are instead piggybacking off the limited resources of the Ekurhuleni Parks Department.

Edenvale employees were sourced from Tembisa instead of Edenvale and now have to pay for their own transport to the area.

They are given a stipend of R2 000 each month, of which roughly R600 is spent on transport alone.

When the project was first proposed, councillors questioned who would be responsible for the management and supervision of employees.

“It was expected that there would be challenges, especially considering that there are 30 employees in each of Ekurhuleni’s 101 wards,” said Clr Hart.

“The council knew from December what employees would do and they have not even so much as bought them a broom,” she added.

According to Clr Hart, Lungile Mtshali employees are relying on the parks department to drive them to various locations.

“The parks department itself is short on resources. Where are they going to get an extra 60 spades from? The department can barely transport its own staff around and this is placing added pressure on service delivery,” she said.

“How did the council think these employees would get to where they need to be? Were they going to fly there?” asked Clr Hart.

“This is a waste of rate payers’ money and an indication of just how bad management is. With this being municipal funds and not a grant from national government, the EMM is obliged to operate in a free and fair manner, which is has not,” said Clr Hart.

The NEWS sent an enquiry to the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality’s (EMM) media department on May 13 for comment by May 16 at 9am.

At the time of going to print, no comment was received.