Funding woes pause Mtubatuba municipal programmes
FINANCIAL challenges have halted all non grant-funded projects and programmes under Mtubatuba Municipality.
This includes patching potholes in KwaMsane, where some roads are so riddled with potholes that they are difficult to navigate.
Ward Councillor
Mfana Gumede said local roads were a ‘burden’ to residents.
“We are waiting for the municipality to say when the contractor will be asked to resume work on the potholes. In the meantime, we are dying and these potholes worry us a lot,” said Gumede.
The last contractor appointed, Mr Zikhali, said the municipality would inform him when he should return to site.
Zikhali, who confirmed he was paid for the pothole patching in the township until late last year, said he understood the contract was put on hold because ‘the municipality has no money’.
The municipality’s communications manager, Khulekani Msweli confirmed
Zikhali was paid for work completed, ‘which was 19% and the amount paid was above
R200 000’.
Msweli said grantfunded projects would resume in the new financial year, after July, which includes ‘normal pothole patching’ by municipal workers and ‘road rehabilitation that requires external service providers’.
The municipality’s financial distress, which has impacted service delivery, has been heavily criticised by opposition at council such as the UDM.
In February, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) said it anticipated the municipality, which is under administration, would be 'out of the woods' by 30 June.
The department said at the time that progress had been made to address the municipality’s financial predicament, with its massive debt reduced from
R76-million in
September 2023 to R27-million in January 2024. A recovery plan, which includes costcontainment measures, has been implemented.