Water leaks still put a damper on matters at IDP meeting
There were no direct complaints about the proposed Integrated Development Plan (IDP) budget for 2015/16, delivered on April 21, although questions about housing, service delivery and poverty were put to the mayoral committee.
The meeting was held to allow for public input from Benoni for the IDP budget of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) for 2015/2016.
After all the public input has been processed, a final plan will be drawn up, incorporating as much as possible of what the public added, the final must then be approved no later than end May.
The meeting was held in the Actonville Community Hall and was chaired by Ward 29’s Clr Imtiaz Ahmed Loonat.
Member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for human settlement, Aubrey Nxumalo, delivered the draft integrated development plan (IDP).
The IDP included increases in seven services offered by the municipality, which are water, electricity, assessment rates, sanitation, refuse removal, building plans and bus services.
The budget also emphasised the rebates to be given to indigents, but Nxumalo said few people registered as indigents last year, yet it is the only way they can receive these benefits from the municipality.
Several questions and requests were put to Nxumalo by the attending public.
- “Benoni is not the Jewel of the East anymore, due to water leaks, unkempt parks and blocked storm drains, how will this be solved?” asked Clr Gerrie Kriek, of Ward 27.
“We must do something urgent about the water leaks,” replied Nxumalo.
“Water loss has been reduced in the past few years, but it’s still an issue and we have made provision for water leak repairs in the budget.”
- “The flats in Actonville have been renovated, now give the title deeds to the indigents living there, so they can have assets behind their names,” said Farouk Mia.
Other members of the public agreed, saying the poor people in the flats are living with debt and unemployment and don’t receive indigent benefits, leading many to drugs and suicide.
“Indigents must ensure they register as such, otherwise they won’t receive the relevant benefits,” said Nxumalo.
“We can’t give title deeds to the residents of the flats, the maintenance costs are too much for most to afford, while that responsibility currently lies with the municipality.”
- Another concern of residents was the large amount of parks in Wattville, leading youth to drug and alcohol abuse.
“I don’t know why Wattville has so many parks, the area is luckier than other, over developed wards, but I understand the problem,” said Nxumalo.
“We (EMM) are making the commitment to install outdoor gym equipment in all parks, by end June 2016, in an attempt to combat drug abuse.”
- “We appreciate the houses being built, but many foreigners are acquiring RDP houses illegally, which is throwing petrol on the xenophobia problem,” said Thabo Nkoane.
“RDP housing is meant for South African citizens only, we will have to look into the matter, but xenophobia cannot be tolerated, we have to welcome foreigners who are fleeing from war and poverty,” responded >Nxumalo.
Nxumalo said he was pleased with the response to the draft proposal, as the public focused more on existing issues and had no complaints about the proposed budget for the coming financial year.
