Where did our R4.6-m go?

EZINQOLENI and Hibiscus Coast Municipality (now Ray Nkonyeni) merged only two months ago and it seems there is already trouble brewing.

The Izingolweni community is threatening to burn down its crumbling hall because they say that prior to the recent local government elections, previous mayor Amon Mpisi had promised that R4.6-million was to be allocated for the building of a new one.

However, the existing hall had merely been renovated and almost certainly not at a cost of R4.6-million.

Now the people want to know:

* Was R4.6-million spent?

* If so, who benefited from this deal?

* If not, how much was spent?

* If the R4.6-million had not been allocated as promised, why not? A Herald journalist visited the hall and confirmed that she – ‘a construction novice’ – could see that nowhere near R4.6-million could possibly have been spent.

Photographs show cracked walls, broken windows and worn, rusted and old sanitation.

The Herald established that a Durban company, NDA Consulting Engineers, was appointed to design the hall.

Co-owner Andrew Dhebideen said ‘there was certainly no amount of R4.6-million’ adding that in fact, they had a huge problem trying to balance the available budget to the cost of the work required.

“We had to revise the designs several times to suit the project fund. The municipality needs to give you the exact figures.”

Former Ezinqolweni municipal manager Mandla Mabece said that there was never going to be a new hall as it did not appear in the IDP report, as required by law. Hence, renovations were all they could afford.

However, he was not sure when the community had been informed of these changes to the plan.

He claimed ‘extensive renovations’ had been done, but the hall had since been vandalised and was crumbling.

Highland Construction, based in Ezinqolweni, built the walls and foundations.

However, owner Spha Shange said he was involved in a dispute with the municipality over the tender awarded to him which was, apparently, withdrawn without his knowledge last year.

He said he was not sure of the actual cost of the hall as he was merely a sub-contractor for NDA Consulting.

Ray Nkonyeni municipal spokesman Simon April is still trying to unravel all the facts three weeks after the Herald asked him for comment.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram

For news straight to your phone, add us on BBM 58F3D7A7 or WhatsApp 082 421 6033