Budget cuts hit upgrade of beaches

Brighton Beach, Wells Estate among many projects affected by rollovers

SEVERE budget cuts have affected sports, recreation, arts and culture projects in Nelson Mandela Bay, with the municipal directorate only working on three projects in the next financial year. The budget cuts have also affected the long-standing promised upgrades of Brighton Beach and Wells Estate beach, which lost its blue flag status due to infrastructure problems.

Sports, recreation, arts and culture executive director Noxolo Nqwazi told councillors that the budget cuts in her department were a result of project rollovers.

She said only three capital projects would be implemented from July.

The three projects that will be done in the 2017-2018 financial year are the refurbishing of the main library in Govan Mbeki Avenue, completing phase two of the Mendi Memorial in New Brighton and the construction of change rooms at the Walmer Sportsfield.

Nqwazi also requested the sport, recreation, arts and cultural services committee which met yesterday to support the city’s application for blue flag status in the next financial year.

But this sparked a debate among councillors about Wells Estate and Brighton beaches being neglected for years.

Councillors felt the city was not doing enough to upgrade the two beaches.

ANC councillor Xola Sabani said since 2006 officials had been stalling the upgrades of the two beaches.

“We were told in 2006 there was R10-million to upgrade Brighton Beach.

“By now, if that money is in the bank, it is supposed to be more than that.

“Why can’t we improve those facilities to be the same as those in town?” Nqwazi said since the 2015-2016 financial year her directorate’s capital budget had suffered severe cuts.

“But most of those projects were not completed and had to be rolled over to other years. We had R52-million this financial year and it was cut.

“Our budget is about R30-million in terms of capital for the coming financial year,” Nqwazi said. She told councillors that the upgrades of the Wells Estate and New Brighton beaches would need a lot of money.

“Those two upgrades will require a lot of budget to get to blue flag status.

“Wells Estate is not connected to any sewer lines, the kind of sewerage system used there cannot accommodate the number of people who go there during the festive season,” she said.

Sabani and EFF councillor Zilindile Vena appealed to committee chairwoman Siyasanga Sijadu to fight for a bigger slice of the financial pie.

Sabani said: “We can’t accept that these beaches are not made a priority in this municipality.

“You have the privilege of sitting in the mayoral committee. We need you to act.”

Vena urged Sijadu to mobilise all the councillors at the meeting to present a plan to the council.

Why can’t we improve those facilities to be the same as ... town?