Durban verges left in ruins
'Stringent supply chain management procedures' have led to a breakdown in the maintenance of verges in the Durban area.
VERGES in and around the Durban area have fallen into ruins recently after the municipality failed to renew it’s grass cutting and bush clearing contract since July 2015.
Durban North councillor Shaun Ryley said this was unacceptable as it was not only an aesthetic issue but the overgrown areas posed a fire and health risk to the community.
“People have complained about snakes and rats. Vacant properties are especially a problem, since they are not receiving any attention,” he said.
According to a report which the Northglen News is in possession of, a 12 month temporary contract, valued at R60-million, had been awarded on 30 July 2014.
However, an advert for a 36 month contract was advertised in February 2015. The application window closed on 27 March, but is ‘still in the process of being evaluated by supply chain management.’
After the original contact expired, the city decided to set up a 12 month contract in July 2014. This too expired, said Ryley and the city decided to institute a six month extention with the contractor, ‘or until a new contract was awarded’.
What’s more, the decision was made with the agreement that the extension would be limited to 15 per cent of the original contract.
This meant that only R7.7-million could be used to maintain the verges for six months, however, R8.5million would be needed to carry a single cut, said Ryley.
The report thus read, “The department therefore had to make a saving of R828 913 and as a result a management decision was undertaken on the extension authority not to cut some verges Municipality wide.”
From 1 July grass cutting and bush clearing has therefore not been undertaken at municipal departmental facilities, community residential units, housing flats as well as underdeveloped private and municipal vacant land across the city.
“Any further expenditure would be deemed irregular expenditure,” the report continued.
It is all poor planning and bad management causing major service delays. The public is already paying exorbitant rates and they should be receiving the services, said Ryley.
eThekwini head of communications, Tozi Mthethwa said the delays in appointing service providers to undertake grass cutting and bush clearing services are a result of the “stringent supply chain management procedures that have to be followed to ensure that public funds are used effectively and are accounted for.”
“In a bid to avoid any further delays, a recommendation has been made that co-operatives be appointed, under section 36. The co-operatives for a period of six months will oversee and administer public funds to ensure that service delivery continues,” added Mthethwa.
The new grass cutting cycle has started and is set to run from 4 January to 12 February, she added.
