Funding to the value of R40-million for various Duncan Village housing projects has been removed from Buffalo City Metro’s 2015-16 financial year budget causing an outcry from local ward councillors.
The matter was highlighted during BCM mayor Alfred Mtsi’s mid-year adjustment budget report which also saw both the metro’s operating expenditure and revenue budgets decreased.
The affected projects include:
- The Duncan Village Proper housing project, which saw R20-million being taken away;
- R11-million being removed from the C-section and triangular site housing project; and
- R9.3-million taken from the D hostel housing project.
Ward 2 councillor Mlandeli Mateke said he was concerned about the effect on the human settlement projects after they were stopped pending a court case between the metro and contractors.
“Some projects are under contractual dispute and therefore we can’t continue with them for now.”
He said it was concerning that ward councillors had been told that Duncan Village Redevelopment Initiative (DVRI) projects were not allocated funds because there was no business plan.
The DVRI is a programme aimed at uplifting Duncan Village through various projects.
“That is not true – the DVRI programmes do have business plans, but the allocation for those projects do not reflect,” Mateke said.
Ward councillor Mongezi Ngcaba said although there was funding for some housing projects there were delays caused by internal disputes and sometimes the non-availability of land to build the houses on.
“The housing department was mostly affected by the adjustment budget as about R240-million was re-allocated from the department.
“That is not to say that the money will not be available again, it was just lent so that there could be some relief in some operational areas within the metro.
“Our main problem is that we don’t have land, we get funding and then resume the processes of looking for land. There is a lot of planning that needs to be in place so that such things do not happen,” Ngcaba said.
Uproar as projects lose R40m funding
The matter was highlighted during BCM mayor Alfred Mtsi’s mid-year adjustment budget report which also saw both the metro’s operating expenditure and revenue budgets decreased.
The affected projects include:
Ward 2 councillor Mlandeli Mateke said he was concerned about the effect on the human settlement projects after they were stopped pending a court case between the metro and contractors.
“Some projects are under contractual dispute and therefore we can’t continue with them for now.”
He said it was concerning that ward councillors had been told that Duncan Village Redevelopment Initiative (DVRI) projects were not allocated funds because there was no business plan.
The DVRI is a programme aimed at uplifting Duncan Village through various projects.
“That is not true – the DVRI programmes do have business plans, but the allocation for those projects do not reflect,” Mateke said.
Ward councillor Mongezi Ngcaba said although there was funding for some housing projects there were delays caused by internal disputes and sometimes the non-availability of land to build the houses on.
“The housing department was mostly affected by the adjustment budget as about R240-million was re-allocated from the department.
“That is not to say that the money will not be available again, it was just lent so that there could be some relief in some operational areas within the metro.
“Our main problem is that we don’t have land, we get funding and then resume the processes of looking for land. There is a lot of planning that needs to be in place so that such things do not happen,” Ngcaba said.
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