iLembe District Municipality has appointed its new executive committee which will, among others, oversee the mayor’s 100 days in office programme.
Launched on December 7, the programme will run until March 16 and is intended to make quick, meaningful and actionable progress on the most pressing issues facing the municipality.
Speaking at a media briefing last Friday, mayor Thobani Shandu showcased infrastructure development, service delivery and unrest aid programmes which his office has already attended to.
With the municipality’s overall debt at R536 772 925 in December, one of the corrective measures involves improving the water revenue collection rate – previously at 61% – by upgrading the water billing system.
To improve water meter reading in some areas, the municipality approached provincial treasury for funding and requested additional staff from the expanded public works department.
Call centres will also be upgraded and customers are urged to receive their bills electronically.
To sign up for electronic billing, ratepayers can contact Mhlekude.Mleya@ilembe.gov.za or nhlakanipho.mthembu@ilembe.gov.za.
Shandu said illegal connections to the water system were also being eradicated.
He said officials would visit KwaDukuza and Mandeni households to identify and address any other factors which cause water losses.
Business relief is another priority, with the municipality to hand out R5-million to small businesses that suffered losses during the unrest in July last year.
Enterprise iLembe conducted an impact survey which determined that 1 200 jobs had been lost and damages of R322-million incurred.
The municipality is now busy with a verification process and the number of businesses receiving benefits could still rise.
Between 30 and 50 small businesses are expected to receive aid. The hardest hit areas included KwaDukuza and Mandeni.
Other projects the municipality has launched since new officials entered office after the elections, included the Isithebe Clinic pipeline replacement project in Mandeni.
A 1.5km pipeline was installed from the Ithala industrial complex to the Isithebe clinic, which will benefit wards 16, 17 and 18.
Next on the municipal schedule for the year ahead is the Macambini bulk water supply scheme, to be completed in two phases at respective costs of R42.9-million and R16.1-million.
These include the construction of 9km of 250-500mm diameter bulk gravity mains and a 2.5 megalitre reinforced concrete reservoir.
The municipality will also assign contractors for the construction of 37 boreholes in Ndwedwe, Mandeni and Maphumulo, set to benefit 500 households at a cost of R22.6-million.
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