The Amathole district municipality needs R1.6bn to replace its ageing water infrastructure, and a further R434m will be required to maintain it.
This was revealed by ADM municipal manager Thandekile Mnyimba on Wednesday at the municipality’s three-day water and sanitation indaba, being held at the East London International Convention Centre.
Mnyimba admitted the municipality had failed in its duties in respect of maintaining infrastructure.
“The issue here is that we have been putting in infrastructure but never maintained it. As Amathole we have failed dismally in our constitutional mandate by not maintaining the infrastructure.”
“We are supposed to set aside 8% of the capital budget for infrastructure maintenance, that is the normal. When I came to Amathole, it was 0.2%. We are at 1% now,” he said.
Mnyimba said the government had granted money to maintain the infrastructure but questions were often asked where the money went.
“That money went to our salaries as officials. That is where people’s money is. In terms of replacing the current infrastructure, we need R1.6bn. We are doing very poorly.”
Mnyimba said the biggest challenge faced by the municipality was illegal water connections. Here he cited Dabane and Ngcamngeni villages.
“People connecting illegally in their big houses are depriving the old man or old woman who needs a five-litre bucket a day.”
He said the council had approved a rural yard connection policy which would introduce meter boxes to regulate the use of water.
The government provided six kilolitres of water a day, but if residents used more than that, they were going to pay for the water, Mnyimba said.
Mxolisi Koyo, the chair of the SA Local Government Association, lauded the municipality for its planning efforts and advised ADM to minimise outsourced services.
Koyo said: “Municipalities are owed. We want to appeal to the business community, councillors and officials [to pay their rates].”
ziyandaz@dispatch.co.za
Mnyimba admits ADM failed dismally in maintaining water infrastructure
Image: MICHAEL PINYANA
The Amathole district municipality needs R1.6bn to replace its ageing water infrastructure, and a further R434m will be required to maintain it.
This was revealed by ADM municipal manager Thandekile Mnyimba on Wednesday at the municipality’s three-day water and sanitation indaba, being held at the East London International Convention Centre.
Mnyimba admitted the municipality had failed in its duties in respect of maintaining infrastructure.
“The issue here is that we have been putting in infrastructure but never maintained it. As Amathole we have failed dismally in our constitutional mandate by not maintaining the infrastructure.”
“We are supposed to set aside 8% of the capital budget for infrastructure maintenance, that is the normal. When I came to Amathole, it was 0.2%. We are at 1% now,” he said.
Mnyimba said the government had granted money to maintain the infrastructure but questions were often asked where the money went.
“That money went to our salaries as officials. That is where people’s money is. In terms of replacing the current infrastructure, we need R1.6bn. We are doing very poorly.”
Mnyimba said the biggest challenge faced by the municipality was illegal water connections. Here he cited Dabane and Ngcamngeni villages.
“People connecting illegally in their big houses are depriving the old man or old woman who needs a five-litre bucket a day.”
He said the council had approved a rural yard connection policy which would introduce meter boxes to regulate the use of water.
The government provided six kilolitres of water a day, but if residents used more than that, they were going to pay for the water, Mnyimba said.
Mxolisi Koyo, the chair of the SA Local Government Association, lauded the municipality for its planning efforts and advised ADM to minimise outsourced services.
Koyo said: “Municipalities are owed. We want to appeal to the business community, councillors and officials [to pay their rates].”
ziyandaz@dispatch.co.za
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