The eThekwini Municipality has refuted claims by the Democratic Alliance (DA) that funds intended for the Tongaat water treatment plant and fire and emergency vehicles, has been diverted for the purchase of two statues.
The Citizen newspaper reported that the nine-metre high statues recently arrived in Durban from China, and will be erected in the city in the near future.
According to the reports, the cost for the two statues amounts to approximately R22-million. This amount was reportedly the cheapest among the quotes submitted by various artists.
Tongaat councillor Yogis Govender told the Courier an amount of R6.5-million was redirected from the Tongaat fire and emergency vehicles budget, an additional R1.3-million was allocated for eThekwini’s vehicle fleet, with R94 000 withdrawn from the Tongaat waterworks budget.
The community has expressed their anger over the news, particularly because Tongaat has been experiencing water shortages even before the April’s floods.
These water cuts are believed to be connected to the aging infrastructure linked to the water plant. Insufficient water supply to the primary reservoirs, Emona and Belvedere, remains a problem.
The DA argues the allocated funds should have been prioritised for addressing Tongaat’s persistent water issues, including the urgent need for an upgrade of the plant and the installation of SCADA equipment at the plant and various reservoirs.
The plant was destroyed during the floods in April last year and eThekwini has spent R31-million to rebuild the plant.
Govender said it was important to note that the money spent on rebuilding was to replace like for like not an upgrade, hence the reason water challenges persist.
In response to the allegations, eThekwini Municipality’s head of communications Lindiwe Khuzwayo said they were “false and malicious.”
She said each municipal department is allocated funding at the beginning of the financial year and the Parks Recreation and Culture Unit reprioritised its budget to cover the costs of the statue project.
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