Ward 12 residents demand answers on money meant for road in eMbalenhle
At a recent public meeting, Mbalenhle’s Ward 12 Clr Sidney Sihlalo told residents the municipality had advertised a tender for a suitable contractor to repair Albert Luthuli Road after it terminated the previous contractor for poor performance.
The Govan Mbeki Municipality (GMM) seeks a new contractor to repair one of the main tarred roads in eMbalenhle after terminating the previous contractor for poor performance.
If Albert Luthuli Drive was in a poor state when the last contractor took up the task to repair the deteriorating road a few years ago, it is now even worse, say some residents. The tar surface has been dug up in some areas, so only a gravel road remains.
At a recent public meeting, Mbalenhle’s Ward 12 Clr Sidney Sihlalo told residents the municipality had advertised a tender for a suitable contractor to repair Albert Luthuli Road after it terminated the previous contractor for poor performance.
However, according to Sihlalo, no local contractor can fix this road.
“Local contractors were given a chance, but they failed. They must, therefore, not try to stop the project.”
Sihlalo vowed that when a new contractor is appointed, he will introduce them to the community.
“I will ensure you have a chance to ask questions before the work begins.”
Some residents asked Sihlalo which funds the GMM would use to fix the road. Albert Luthuli and Allan Makhunga drives were left incomplete when the GMM kicked the poor-performing contractor to the curb. These roads were funded through municipal infrastructure grants.
Last year, Mayor Nhlakanipho Zuma told the council that the roads would now done with internal funding from the municipal finances, which angered councillors from other parties, who claimed the money allocated for those roads was illegally used.
The opposition parties demanded an investigation. The municipality resurfaced Alan Makhunga Drive but not Chief Albert Luthuli Drive.
“We are tired of being lied to. Where is the money to fix our road? We were never even told the appointed contractor had left.
“We, as the residents, demand to know where the money will come from because we were told the budget for this road was depleted even though the road was not completed,” said a resident.
Sihlalo responded, saying the municipality would use the money left over from the previous financial year. The GMM is preparing an advertisement to hire a qualified contractor.
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