Mayor highlights achievements

THE uThungulu District mayor, Cllr Thembeka Mchunu delivered the State of the District address at Mkhindini sports field in the Mthonjaneni Municipality on Saturday.

She said, ‘In the uThungulu District, the government has spent the past two decades rebuilding and developing the lives of our people.

‘Today we have covered hundreds of kilometres in water pipelines, built thousands of toilets and changed the lives of almost a million people.’

She highlighted two non-negotiable elements which will receive attention this year.

They are ethical conduct and respectful behaviour and the improvement of service delivery.

Since the ANC has taken over the district in 2011, she said it has increased the pace of service delivery and achieved the district’s first Clean Audit from the Auditor-General of South Africa for the 2012/2013 financial year.

Other notable achievements last year were being crowned the Best District in KZN in the KZN Municipal Excellence Awards and attaining the award for Best IDP in KZN as well.

Proposed projects

The 2014/2015 budget has included huge projects that are moving forward with speed.

These include the establishment of the District Fresh Produce Market, the roll-out of biogas in rural areas and the implementation of bulk water schemes to rural communities.

The R924-million budget is well-balanced to promote the five national priorities of creating decent work and sustainable livelihoods, education, health, rural development and agrarian reform and the fight against crime and corruption.

Energy

The district has promoted biogas pilot projects in the rural areas with great success and these are to be expanded. Projects are planned for Edakeni to serve 70 households and these should be completed by the end of November.

A second energy project is the ‘Wonder Pot’ project and is aimed at training 100 unemployed people, mainly women, youth, people with disabilities and people living with HIV/Aids in the skill of manufacturing the Wonder Pots.

Tourism

The district is excited about the Zululand Film Office which is positioning itself as a film funding body where KZN-based filmmakers will be encouraged to to tell stories that are strictly located in KZN, are of cultural, historical and social relevance to KZN, portraying the Zulu culture.

The KwaBulawayo project is undergoing renovations and upgrades aimed at showcasing the history of the area as a heritage site and to show off the cultural significance of the area.

Road infrastructure

Since 2009 to the current financial year (2013/14), the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport has invested a total of R760.615-million in infrastructure development which includes 179.85km of new access roads throughout the district.

The Bhelende and Ntanyeni Roads as well as 792.2km were maintained, 195.25 kilometres were upgraded from gravel to blacktop.

Also, 38 vehicle and pedestrian bridges were constructed and 2 340 098 square metres of potholes were repaired and 16 causeways were constructed.

Among the major/capital construction projects underway are the P700 between Ulundi and Empangeni which will be completed at an estimated cost of R1 117-billion.

The P15 between Kranskop, eShowe and Nkandla was completed at a total cost of R313-million.