After years of on-and-off plans to redevelop the dilapidated Mdantsane NU2 swimming pool, Buffalo City Metro has again called for bids for the multi-million rand tender.
Acting municipal manager Nceba Ncunyana last week re-issued the tender notice he had cancelled in May “due to a change in the scope of the work to be undertaken”.
Potential bidders were urged to attend a compulsory briefing session on Wednesday.
Mdantsane residents, who have for more than 20 years waited for the pool to be revamped, yesterday welcomed the latest developments.
Activist Thabang Maseko said: “BCM systems are very frustrating but we will not stop fighting for this swimming pool to be revamped and maintained once completed.
“We hope with the current mayor he will push the swimming pool project. We have two requests: for him to revamp the pool and to deliver street names for this, the second biggest township in this country.
“We will not stop pushing until we see our children swimming there.
“If indeed they implement this project, it will go very well with the multi-million rand Mdantsane Urban Hub programme, which will change the face of our central business district when implemented too,” Maseko said.
The Olympic-size swimming pool has over the years become a dumpsite and crime haven.
Talks to fix the pool started almost a decade ago but to date the only work that has started was to enclose the facility with a white wall.
The project is now expected to make way for a much bigger sports precinct development project in NU2.
In February, the Daily Dispatch reported that the tide could be turning after the metro allocated close to R3-million to revamp the swimming pool over the next three years.
However, the metro’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP) draft for 2016 to 2021 revealed plans to inject about R10.3-million into the swimming pool project.
Although no work has started on site, the IDP plan showed that R2.6-million would be used in the 2015-16 financial year, which ended in June.
For the 2016-17 financial year, about R3.1-million was projected and R4.5-million for the 2017-18 financial year.
Council chief whip councillor Mzwandile Vaaiboom said the metro’s political leadership had a meeting with Ncunyana last week, where it was discussed that the officials needed to speed up the consultation workshop of all councillors in relation to the Mdantsane Urban Hub projects.
“The delay could be the procurement processes of the municipality but we are ready to start with the work immediately.
“Funding is available and we said the officials need to speed up the work because it is politicians who have to answer to the communities when these projects do not happen,” Vaaiboom said. — mamelag@
dispatch.co.za
M’sane swimmers hopeful again
Acting municipal manager Nceba Ncunyana last week re-issued the tender notice he had cancelled in May “due to a change in the scope of the work to be undertaken”.
Potential bidders were urged to attend a compulsory briefing session on Wednesday.
Mdantsane residents, who have for more than 20 years waited for the pool to be revamped, yesterday welcomed the latest developments.
Activist Thabang Maseko said: “BCM systems are very frustrating but we will not stop fighting for this swimming pool to be revamped and maintained once completed.
“We hope with the current mayor he will push the swimming pool project. We have two requests: for him to revamp the pool and to deliver street names for this, the second biggest township in this country.
“We will not stop pushing until we see our children swimming there.
“If indeed they implement this project, it will go very well with the multi-million rand Mdantsane Urban Hub programme, which will change the face of our central business district when implemented too,” Maseko said.
The Olympic-size swimming pool has over the years become a dumpsite and crime haven.
Talks to fix the pool started almost a decade ago but to date the only work that has started was to enclose the facility with a white wall.
The project is now expected to make way for a much bigger sports precinct development project in NU2.
In February, the Daily Dispatch reported that the tide could be turning after the metro allocated close to R3-million to revamp the swimming pool over the next three years.
However, the metro’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP) draft for 2016 to 2021 revealed plans to inject about R10.3-million into the swimming pool project.
Although no work has started on site, the IDP plan showed that R2.6-million would be used in the 2015-16 financial year, which ended in June.
For the 2016-17 financial year, about R3.1-million was projected and R4.5-million for the 2017-18 financial year.
Council chief whip councillor Mzwandile Vaaiboom said the metro’s political leadership had a meeting with Ncunyana last week, where it was discussed that the officials needed to speed up the consultation workshop of all councillors in relation to the Mdantsane Urban Hub projects.
“The delay could be the procurement processes of the municipality but we are ready to start with the work immediately.
“Funding is available and we said the officials need to speed up the work because it is politicians who have to answer to the communities when these projects do not happen,” Vaaiboom said. — mamelag@
dispatch.co.za
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