Umdoni mayor provides clarity on municipal matters

A media briefing was held at the Umdoni Municipality council chambers last week where the mayor Sibongile Khathi, responded to the illegal barricading of municipal offices which led to further interruption of services for quite some time.

The municipality was illegally barricaded after heaps of sand was dumped at the entrance of the Scottburgh office on March 22. This is believed to have been done due to service delivery matters and issues regarding a R48-million tender process. It was not confirmed who barricaded the offices as an investigation is ongoing.

The Humberdale landfill site was also barricaded resulting in refuse removal disruptions which has now resumed.

At the briefing, clarity was also given on issues of electricity, rehabilitation of rural and urban roads, water and sanitation services among others.

The mayor further expanded on the above matters (as issued by the municipality):

Electricity: Efforts have been made by the municipality to address electricity in Ward 10 in Kelso. After numerous intervention efforts, Eskom held a number of meetings with this community where its electrification projects were outlined. The Kelso community was duly informed that Eskom’s electrification project will commence during their current financial year.
The municipality has also made a budget provision to complete the Ward 1 electrification project for the current fiscal year. Approximately 283 households will benefit from this project.
The municipality signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Minerals and Energy for the implementation of the electrification pre-marketing programme for Ward 11. This programme is scheduled to commence in the new financial year commencing on July 1.

Rural and urban road rehabilitation: A substantial budget was allocated for the rehabilitation of urban roads and work to fulfil this mandate is currently under way. Numerous roads are being resurfaced while others are undergoing extensive pothole patching.
Also, a significant budget has been allocated for the rehabilitation of rural roads. Work to be implemented in this rural road rehabilitation project includes re-gravelling of roads and construction of a concrete surface on steep sections of these rural roads.

Water and sanitation: Ugu District Municipality is the water services authority and Umdoni remains in constant contact with the district to deal with issues of surrounding water services.

Mayor Khathi reiterated the municipality’s apology to the Umdoni residents and business community for the inconvenience they have had to endure in the past weeks.
“Our intention is to always provide efficient and effective services to our communities. We wish to assure the community that our town and communities will revert to a clean and tolerable state,” she said.

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