MBOMBELA – The local municipality has approved a R13 million budget for altering the road around the Mpumalanga High Court. This court building on Samora Machel Drive has been under construction since 2013.
The ward 15 municipal councillor Ms Felicity Lange welcomed the allocation. She had previously raised concerns on behalf of the residents in West Acres that the massive building was going up, “but what happens around it we don’t know. We don’t know how people are going to go in and out of the property”.
The widening and reconstruction of the Kaapschehoop Road had been included in Mbombela Local Municipality’s (MLM) final integrated development plan (IDP) for 2015/16.
It was recently tabled to council for approval. According to the document, R2,4 million was planned to be spent on the road in 2015/16, R3,8 million in 2016/17 and R7,5 million in 2017/18.
Also contained in the IDP was the construction of the West Acres storm-water refurbishment. A total of R1,1 million had been put on the books for the 2015/16 financial year.
The contract was to be completed over two years. Lange said it was better than nothing.
“They must just implement it as soon as possible. The building is almost halfway done and the existing services are not sufficient.”
A number of municipal councillors stated to the newspaper that a service contribution had not been paid to MLM by the client department. In the IDP the source of the funding for the projects were indicated as the capital replacement reserve (CRR).
DA caucus leader Mr Jo Koster said the building plans were not authorised by MLM prior to the commencement of construction.
The water drainage, electricity supply, access roads, water and sewage connections were of concern for residents of the ward.
Mr Steve Schormann, DA representative on the Ehlanzeni council welcomed the infrastructure investment for the area. “We believe that the relocation of the high court would have a positive impact on the city’s economy.”
The spokesman for the municipality had not commented on any of the allegations regarding the building plans and services deposit.
The National Department of Public Works referred the newspaper to IDT as it was understood that it was responsible for the construction of the High Court. Neither the Department of Justice nor IDT had responded to written questions.
- Read more on the questions raised about the construction of the Mpumalanga High Court here.
