Can somebody please let us know if we still have a functioning municipality? All you have to do is drive around our little town (and I say ‘little’ to emphasise that it should not be too difficult to manage a town of our size), and see that state of this once beautiful town.
It has now become a taxi rank and my next question is: when exactly do we expect the taxi tank to be completed and be functional? On my drive to work this Friday morning I was so disgusted by the amount of litter strewn across Phillip Street.
Surely this is not healthy and poses a danger whilst driving. Driving in the residential areas you can see the grass that is now overgrown because of the rain. Unfortunately though, when the municipality does decide to clean out the pavements and islands, we are going to get the incompetent ‘red or green overall staff’ that sits on the roadside for most of the day doing absolutely nothing.
It just does not serve the purpose. Surely, if we have a functioning municipality, we would not be seeing this deplorable state of our town.
Frustrated
It is your right to ask and get answers about your surroundings. The Estcourt Intermodal Facility was completed on December 11, 2015 and was ready for the hand over to uMtshezi Municipality by the office of the MEC for Transport, Safety and Community Liaison.
Nonetheless, it was discovered that a minibus motor vehicle, that has the original specifications in terms of their suspensions, could easily drive over the walk ways and ramps within the facility as per the intended traffic calming measures.
On the other hand, the taxis that are modified and dropped could not drive over the traffic calming ramps. The matter had to receive urgent consideration and a review by the Project Manager during the first week January 2016 due to the December holidays.
After a discussion with our municipality, the Project Manager has reassessed the designs to suit the modified taxis. The main contractor has since been commissioned to proceed with the necessary amendments and the expected completion of the said work is currently under serious engagement between the municipality and the project managers.
The outcome of the engagements will be communicated to the Estcourt News soon. Note-by – the non-confirmation of the completion date is due to a number of issues that must be considered; like the upgrading of Alfred Street, which provides service to one of our temporary taxi ranks. We are sorry for any inconvenience.
Manzolwandle Hadebe
Umtshezi Municipality Acting Municipality Spokesperson
