The following report back is presented by Ward 10 councillor, Eddie Baptie:
• Roads and storm water systems
I have reported all roads in ward 10 that require maintenance. Many residents have done the same. Nevertheless I appeal to all residents to continue submitting complaints to shanazk@umdoni.gov.za. I appreciate the frustration arising from the lack of action to reported matters, but the reports do create evidence of the problems, and may be the deciding factor in eventually getting the roads sorted out. We already received 2 schedules for repairs in this financial year(since June) and neither was adhered to. The roads department simply shift the dates and makes excuses. At this juncture there is no specific budget, dates and times for any specific road repairs. The plans proposed by management to maintain all Urban roads internally has apparently been abandoned. As discussed at our last public meeting A PETITION IS UNDERWAY TO MOTIVATE FOR THE REPAIRS TO ROADS AND STORMWATER SYSTEMS, & A DETAILED REPORT IS BEING COMPILED TO DEFINE THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE AND COSTS FOR REPAIRS. Please sign the petition and assist with collecting signatures. This issue affects all of us and if we don’t take collective action it will not be resolved. The absence of proper planning for road maintenance and the limited budget that was provided, leave us with little option other than to find a way of undertaking the maintenance ourselves. All evidence suggests that the municipality has no interest in servicing rate-paying areas. I am pursuing a possible mechanism for residents to do their own repairs and will report back once I have an in-principle agreement from management.
• Farm Abrams Informal Settlement
The purchase of the land and registration of a project to house the approximate 100 family units is nearing reality. The municipal officials stalled this project for a decade, but in fairness to them, they took instructions from the majority party. This housing project has been used as an instrument to secure a political foothold in the ward. A handful of residents in the settlement are encouraging outsiders to come in and build more shacks. This irresponsible conduct poses a risk to social and economic stability in the ward. It is unfortunate that there are radical elements who promote lawless behaviour. The politicians involved in this issue openly display their anticipation that expropriation without compensation will become a reality sometime soon, and are using this to encourage growth in the settlement. We all hope that the president will do what is best for this nation and use his influence to avoid the devastation that took place in Zimbabwe with the land grabs that occurred there. A PETITION IS UNDERWAY TO GET THE PROJECT REGISTERED AND THE LAND PURCHASED, so that houses can finally be built for the families who have waited far too long for a result.
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• EPWP – Expanded Public Works Program
The EPWP programmes continue to be abused as a means to provide work opportunity for party faithfuls. Equally disturbing is the lack of productivity associated with the programs, evidenced by uniformed groups engaged in chatting, sleeping and strolling around without effective supervision. Many suggestions have been offered to improve efficiencies and outcomes, but they have not been received with any enthusiasm.
• Verge Maintenance
The service was changed to an INTERNAL SERVICE in the last financial year. Without the required planning and resource management to support such a major change in the delivery method, the service predictably failed to perform. This led to the ad-hoc appointment of several service providers in July to undertake cutting in ratepaying areas. The contractors performed well but the contracts have ended. There is no budgeted plan in place to provide a regular service through the summer months ahead. I will make this a priority issue together with roads and streetlights at the EXCO meeting today. With random dumping and litter accumulation on the rise our villages are looking scruffy and fire risks have risen with the increased fuel loads. As with the roads and storm-water systems, we may have to find a way to render the service to ourselves if we want to see our towns maintained to a reasonable standard.
• Streetlight Maintenance
No repairs have been done in this financial year yet and the budget provision will not go far at R1.5 million for the entire municipality. The plan to purchase a “cherry picker” truck and establish an in-house maintenance service has been abandoned. An order for 1 contractor in the amount of R200 00.00 has been issued but it has not been disclosed where the contractor will work. All faulty lights in ward 10 have been reported with the assistance of ward committee members.
• Beaches
The general condition of the beaches is reasonable but there are specific locations requiring attention. The recently appointed WFTC team should be removing litter, debris and alien vegetation. The ablutions at Preston Beach, Rocky Bay and Nkomba require maintenance. The upgrade to the parking at Mpithi is not on the budget.
• Refuse Service and Humberdale Landfill
Management of the landfill site remains poor and access onto the cell is not possible with a small vehicle. The delinquent performance of the contractor has been tolerated without any interventions from management to hold him to account. The Municipal Manager has transferred the person who was employed as a Waste Manager to another management position, and assigned the function to the Environmental Manager. The monitoring committee ceased operating more than a year ago. I have submitted numerous reports on the non-compliance and the risks imposed by the poor performance of the contractor. The ward committee and other residents have done likewise. These warnings have not been heeded. It is likely that the municipality will have to shell out several million rand as it did not too long ago, to rectify the problems that could have been avoided. The request for garden refuse skips has not been responded to. The waste collection service is still functional and recycling is only happening in Pennington.
• Crime
The Pennington Community Watch(PCW) continues to render a first-class service to residents. Park Rynie South patrols have improved and the initiative is beginning to yield positive results. I have researched the viability and costs to provide a Camera Surveillance System between Selborne in the South and Freeland Park in the North. The implementation of such a system depends on the willingness of residents and other stakeholders to participate in funding the system. (The establishment cost is R900 000 and running cost is R25 000 per month).
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• Leases
The Municipality has advertised for tenders on leases for the Mphiti Kiosk, the Skiboat club and the Nkomba site. The Illala Senior Citizens Club have vacated the Scottburgh Town Hall premises due to the non-renewal of their lease. It was a callous act by the council majority, spurred on by the MM. The Ilala club has for decades provided a valuable community service to elderly residents and other senior citizens clubs. The fact that the now vacant office and kitchen space which they occupied remains vacant, with no evident intent to lease it out as alleged, is evidence of the vindictive intent behind the non-renewal of the lease. God willing they will reestablish themselves soon.
• Ugu: Water and Sanitation Services
The Dolphin Drive Pump Station structure has been built. The fitting of equipment and construction of the road commences this week and the completion is still envisaged for the end of October. The good news is that we can reasonably expect to have a functional pump station and road before Christmas. Water leaks are reported regularly and most are attended to. Rehabilitation of excavated sites remains a problem and billing problems continue to plague most residents. They are best dealt with on an individual basis. The testing and maintenance of fire hydrants is a serious concern given the high fuel loads at present. The Fire Service is provided by Umdoni and the hydrants are provided by Ugu. Umdoni have been requested to test and report on all hydrants. The report remains outstanding.
• Department of Transport
The cutting of verges on the R102 south of Pennington Drive has been completed. The section north of Pennington all the way to Scottburgh is due for cutting and contractors have been appointed. Drainage clearing and excavations at the Park Rynie intersection commenced on Monday the 16th September. The gardens at the intersection have been cleaned up. The good news is that repairs to the R102 wash away are expected to start in early November.
• Illegal uses on residential property – town planning
None of the reported cases have been attended to by the municipal officials. The extremely littered, unkempt and unsightly Municipal Works Depot on lot 222 in Park Rynie is a disgrace. The property used by the Department of Labour is equally shameful. I will continue to engage the authorities to clean-up these sites that have such a negative impact on the village.
• Signage
The municipality placed an advert several weeks ago, giving illegal signage owners 60 days to remove their signs. This will be followed up with a phone call just prior to the end of the 60 day period, and therefafter the remaining signs will be removed. The current clutter does not add value to the area and this initiative is most welcomed.
EDDIE BAPTIE
WARD 10
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