DA irate at ANC ‘ditching growth’
THE DA has slammed a recent decision by the ANC caucus of the Cacadu District Municipality to turn down two major development projects worth R13.5million in cash-strapped Bushman’s River and Graaff-Reinet.
Plans to build an emergency response centre on the R72 that runs through Bushman’s River and an Intercity bus terminus in Graaff-Reinet were in the final stages of implementation – with bid committees ready and waiting to respond to the resolution of council – when the DA claim they were shelved.
ANC Cacadu chief whip Vukile “Re” Balura yesterday disputed DA claims the two developments had been “wiped off the table”, saying they had been sent back to the mayoral committee for “refinement”. Balura, also a mayoral committee member, said additional money that was not in the initial proposal had prompted the decision.
DA whip Rory Gailey slammed the decision by the ANC caucus at a council meeting to vote against a recommendation by their own mayoral committee to approve the two projects.
“The DA believes the Cacadu region is in need of development and that these projects should have been approved.” The decision to ditch the emergency centre in Ndlambe was made after the ANC outvoted the DA 17 to 10 despite the idea having the support of the ANC-led Ndlambe Municipality.
“The DA supported that project, as it was important to have the centre along the very dangerous R72,” Gailey said.
“Despite the fact that the Ndlambe Municipality supported the project of R4.5-million and is co-funding it, [it] was surprising that Ndlambe-appointed ANC councillors voted against [it].”
The R9-million Graaff-Reinet bus terminus in in the Camdeboo Municipality was also withdrawn despite being on the cards for four years. “The DA voted for the implementation on the project as the N9 goes through Graaff-Reinet and would bring much needed jobs and development to the area.”
According to Gailey, the project had been in the pipeline for four years and was in the final stages when the plug was pulled. “Stakeholders will be disappointed with the disregard for service delivery in the poverty-stricken rural areas.” —