Water on the table at business breakfast

Working towards a common goal was the message delivered at the March business breakfast, hosted by the South Coast Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) at Jaxx restaurant in Umtentweni on Thursday last week.

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The guest speaker, Ugu District Municipality Mayor Sizwe Ngcobo gave a brief overview of the current challenges facing the municipality.

He said water and sanitation issues were a priority and gave an undertaking to do all within the municipality’s power to rectify the situation.

“I am confident that we will overcome all these current challenges,” he said. “I also wish to place on record that the Ugu Municipality is not under administration. Council has sanctioned a forensic investigation to probe the allegations of corruption being raised against the municipality and the findings of the investigation will be tabled at council. Leadership is determined to implement the findings of the investigation.”

Mr Ngcobo also touched on the issues of education, employment and training for the youth of the district, gender-based violence, femicide and tourism.

“The municipality not only wants to partner with businesses to create employment and training opportunities but to change the course of the region’s history by working together to make the area stronger,” he noted.

Acting municipal manager, Sibusiso Sithole took the floor to provide an update on the water and sanitation issues.

Mr Sithole said the municipality had spent the last two weeks investigating and checking all water and sanitation stations.

“This will take time, but is in progress.”

He said the growth in the population of the area had not been taken into account and that the current infrastructure could not cope with the demand. Added to this, load-shedding had severely compromised water and sanitation services.

“Investment and a re-engineering of the budget for maintenance and upgrading of infrastructure needs to be addressed as a matter of priority,” he concluded.

The interim chairman of the chamber, Ivan Naidoo said businesses could choose to be part of the solution and urged members to forge a good relationship with the mayor’s office.

Mr Ngcobo replied that his office would like to meet quarterly with the SCCCI to discuss business-related issues affecting the region.

“Nothing is insurmountable if we all work together,” he concluded.

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