Buffalo City Metro councillors are in fear of their lives after an announcement from the mayor that the metro’s budget had been slashed by R33.9-million for the rest of the 2015-16 financial year.Mayor Alfred Mtsi made the announcement yesterday during a council meeting, saying the money came from projects which would not be finished this financial year (ending June) and the funds would be diverted to other programmes.
The news was greeted by anger from councillors, who said many of the metro’s fed-up residents would not understand the new “financial stress”.
Mtsi said the cuts would reduce the both metro’s operating expenditure and the revenue budget.
Disgruntled councillor Sindiswa Gomba expressed concern over the financial cuts and suggested that councillors be given time to be engaged on the new budget constraints.
Gomba was not alone in her concerns.
Tony Mtintsilana (Ward 41), Gideon Norexe (45) and Nontsikelelo Peter (46) also questioned why councillors had not been consulted on the matter.
“There are people’s lives that are on the line here,” said Gomba.
“We are concerned because councillors are the people who have to be in front of the angry communities having to answer about these things.”
An angry Mtintsilana pleaded with the council to prioritise King William’s Town’s infrastructure and requested that Mtsi address the communities himself concerning the cuts.
“I would suggest that the mayor’s office consider a meeting with the stakeholders and the change to be communicated face-to-face with the stakeholders, beyond us as councillors and just the media.
“A man in the street will feel this adjustment budget hugely.
“In King William’s Town the bulk infrastructure programme has merely been lip service.
“There is a delay for human settlements and housing projects leading to dissatisfactions.
“Drastic action needs to be done,” Mtsintsilana said.
Norexe, who has previously been affected by such violent service delivery protests in his ward that his home in Ilitha was torched, said: “Why does it take so long for projects to be done and completed? When we started projects in Ilitha there was money for it in 2013 then but until today the projects have not been completed.
“My house was burnt down. I would like to request that by the end of March the sewer lines and water pipes project in the area starts. I am scared that my Avanza that I just bought will be burnt.”
Following a long debate about whether or not the report should be approved, Mtsi called for calm heads, saying he had taken note of the grievances and emphasised the need to comply with the approval deadlines.
“Each ward has concerns on how this affects the wards. I have taken some notes and valid concerns have been raised.
“But, I ask: let us accept the report and we will engage with the city manager to see how to accommodate it in a manner that will be balanced and accommodative,” Mtsi said.
Officials were warned not to snub the councillors in future with regard to budget adjustments. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
l See also page 2 for more reports
BCM budget slashed by R34m
Mayor Alfred Mtsi made the announcement yesterday during a council meeting, saying the money came from projects which would not be finished this financial year (ending June) and the funds would be diverted to other programmes.
The news was greeted by anger from councillors, who said many of the metro’s fed-up residents would not understand the new “financial stress”.
Mtsi said the cuts would reduce the both metro’s operating expenditure and the revenue budget.
Disgruntled councillor Sindiswa Gomba expressed concern over the financial cuts and suggested that councillors be given time to be engaged on the new budget constraints.
Gomba was not alone in her concerns.
Tony Mtintsilana (Ward 41), Gideon Norexe (45) and Nontsikelelo Peter (46) also questioned why councillors had not been consulted on the matter.
“There are people’s lives that are on the line here,” said Gomba.
“We are concerned because councillors are the people who have to be in front of the angry communities having to answer about these things.”
An angry Mtintsilana pleaded with the council to prioritise King William’s Town’s infrastructure and requested that Mtsi address the communities himself concerning the cuts.
“I would suggest that the mayor’s office consider a meeting with the stakeholders and the change to be communicated face-to-face with the stakeholders, beyond us as councillors and just the media.
“A man in the street will feel this adjustment budget hugely.
“In King William’s Town the bulk infrastructure programme has merely been lip service.
“There is a delay for human settlements and housing projects leading to dissatisfactions.
“Drastic action needs to be done,” Mtsintsilana said.
Norexe, who has previously been affected by such violent service delivery protests in his ward that his home in Ilitha was torched, said: “Why does it take so long for projects to be done and completed? When we started projects in Ilitha there was money for it in 2013 then but until today the projects have not been completed.
“My house was burnt down. I would like to request that by the end of March the sewer lines and water pipes project in the area starts. I am scared that my Avanza that I just bought will be burnt.”
Following a long debate about whether or not the report should be approved, Mtsi called for calm heads, saying he had taken note of the grievances and emphasised the need to comply with the approval deadlines.
“Each ward has concerns on how this affects the wards. I have taken some notes and valid concerns have been raised.
“But, I ask: let us accept the report and we will engage with the city manager to see how to accommodate it in a manner that will be balanced and accommodative,” Mtsi said.
Officials were warned not to snub the councillors in future with regard to budget adjustments. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
l See also page 2 for more reports
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