Great changes ahead for Abaqulusi Municipality

THE ABAQULUSI Municipality is determined to bring great changes to the lives of residents this year.
As a means to have all community members on par with what has happened and is set to happen in AbaQulusi Municipality this year, the office of the mayor has issued the following information in a press statement:
Regarding the constitution of council, the municipality met its first challenge of the term just after the elections in August when the ANC opened a case challenging the authenticity of the election process during Council Constitution.

The matter was served before the High Court. The Respondents delivered responding affidavits to Court. The High Court ruled that the case be withdrawn.
The matter of the municipal manager was also brought forward. According to the statement, the shortlisting, interviewing and appointing of the new municipal manager has been done and the AbaQulusi Municipality is currently waiting for the MEC’s concurrence.

The office of the mayor also mentions great concern in what they refer to as some “worrying and sour-to-taste factors prevalent in our Municipality”. These issues include:
Their observation of how the image of the Municipality has been tarnished by lack of commitment from many Departments of the Municipality.

“This has been exacerbated by, amongst others, failure to honour the Municipality’s obligation to pay for services rendered by service providers to the Municipality. Some debts owing extend for over a year or two. This has damaged this Municipality and most of local and beyond borders service providers aren’t keen to make business with Abaqulusi,” reads the press statement.
The lack of staff in some departments, lack of work ethic, electricity theft, water supply for Bhekuzulu, Lakeside Park and other surrounding areas, as well as street lighting.
The landfill site will also finally be taking priority after the AbaQulusi Municipality received what was regarded as the ‘shock of a lifetime’ when on December 15 last year, the Department of Environmental Affairs came with the foregone concluded intention of withdrawing the landfill site license.
After negotiations with the Speaker, AbaQulusi Municipality was able to retain the license.
This would all have had a heavy impact on consumers as it would have meant that the municipality would be taking refuse to either Richard’s Bay or Newcastle and this would be at an exorbitant cost.
The municipality also has a few Capital Expenditure (CapEx) projects in the pipeline, these include the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA).
The DBSA has committed itself with R58 million for MIG and INEP projects. This funding should be utilized for income generating projects such as roads infrastructure, water and sanitation and electricity.
Ithala Bank has committed itself to the tune of R100 million for development at Mondlo.
The municipality says that many others will be mentioned during the course of the year.
“Yes, no mountains are insurmountable. Yes, there are challenges in place but the Triumvirate (IFP-DA-EFF) is up to the task.

No amount of slandering for political point scoring levelled against us shall deter us from our main goal, that of service delivery to our Constituents, Electorate and Residents.

We remain resolute in achieving this goal without fail. No council could be as articulate as Abaqulusi and be able to raise R158 million in just four months amid mammoth challenges inherited from the past regime,” reads the press statement, in conclusion.

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