Committee to look at ailing infrastructure

A 13-MEMBER crisis committee elected last week following a meeting between the business fraternity including the Border Kei Chamber of Business (BKCOB), the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM), Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Consultative Council (Ecsecc) and the Chris Hani Development Agency (CHDA) is set to discuss strategies to address infrastructural challenges in Komani.

The names of the members of the committee were announced during an EMLM special council meeting on Tuesday.

The Rep reported (“Fix the town,” February 24) that the meeting was called by businesspeople as a result of constant water and electricity cuts in the area and the resultant negative impact on the financial viability of the area.

It was also reported that the town's electrical network had allegedly not been maintained for the last 12 years due to a number of factors, including budget constraints and a lack of human resource capacity. The EMLM delegation was led by executive mayor Lindiwe Gunuza Nkwentsha who said the local authority was in financial crisis and was looking forward to being assisted with funds from treasury.

This week Gunuza Nkwentsha said the meeting was viewed as having been successful.

The meeting had highlighted how the business sector was losing money as a result of the outages and other infrastructural challenges.

“We are the economic hub of this district and we can not take for granted that business is losing money. The business fraternity can up and leave if they want to and a dream for a better life will not be lived.”

She said a strategy to get closer to solving the crisis had to be developed, adding that the local authority had no problem with people who wanted to work with the municipality.

The crisis committee was awaiting terms of reference from Ecsecc and had to report on the progress made by March 30, she said.

Members of the committee are Gunuza Nkwentsha, EMLM integrated planning and economic development portfolio head Xoliswa Xelo, technical services portfolio head Sibusiso Mvana and technical services acting director Ayanda Gaji, Andrew Murray of Ecsecc, Zolisa Xabadiya of CHDA and BKCOB chairwoman Adre Bartis, local businessman Thando Ng'obo, Twizza owner Ken Clark and Zama Zulu of Eastern Cape Tissues. Kuthelo Bovu, Andre Sieberhagen and Basil Buss were also elected to the committee. Council endorsed the committee.