EFF councillor questions ‘missing’ R5m for destroyed offices in Kinross
Council speaker Fikile Magagamela said the inclusion of projects in the IDP does not guarantee immediate implementation.
The EFF proportional representative councillor, Daniel Khoza, has raised concerns over the repeated allocation of R5m in the budget and Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for the rebuilding of Ext 25 municipal offices, which have not yet been reconstructed.
Khoza made the remarks during a council meeting of the Govan Mbeki Municipality held on March 25.
The offices were destroyed eight years ago during a violent community protest linked to demands for the formalisation of the Marikana informal settlement.
Addressing council, Khoza questioned the continued appearance of the budgeted funds without visible progress.
“Speaker and mayor, where are the R5m always budgeted for rebuilding the Ext 25 municipal offices? Nothing is happening. Our community is suffering because residents must travel long distances to Kinross town to access municipal services,” said Khoza.
He highlighted service delivery challenges in Marikana, noting that residents are currently receiving water without being billed.
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“Our municipality is facing financial constraints, yet residents in Marikana are consuming water for free. They want services and are willing to pay,” Khoza added.
Responding to the concerns, council speaker Fikile Magagamela said the inclusion of projects in the IDP does not guarantee immediate implementation.
“It does not mean everything in the IDP will be implemented immediately. It depends on the availability of funds, our municipality is operating with an unfunded budget, which was approved by this council,” said Magagamela.
She explained that the rebuilding of the offices remains a community priority but will only proceed once funding becomes available.
Executive Mayor Nhlakanipho Zuma said the municipality is focusing on installing bulk infrastructure in Marikana.
“We are installing bulk services and will electrify the area. Water and electricity meters will also be installed so that residents can begin paying for services,” said Zuma.
The original protest that led to the destruction of the municipal offices followed a High Court ruling instructing the municipality to engage with residents on whether to formalise the Marikana informal settlement or relocate its residents.
During the unrest, an angry group also attempted to burn the home of ward councillor Rose Nkabinde.
Occupants managed to extinguish the fire, although windows were smashed and property inside the house was damaged.
Later that year, the municipality moved to formalise the Marikana informal settlement, incorporating it into its IDP.
Currently, water and sanitation projects are underway in the area, although progress has been disrupted by community disputes over employment opportunities.
Residents have accused ward councillor Nkabinde of interfering in the projects by allegedly favouring certain individuals for employment. This led to further protests and required intervention from the mayor.
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