Continued delays with eThekwini Supply Chain Management (SCM) processes are starting to have serious implications with verge cutting, street lights, plumbing and various other contracts not yet awarded.
Nowhere is this more evident than municipal clinics, where the poorest of the poor line up for medical treatment, according to ward 97 councillor, Andre Beetge.
“Oversight visits to five primary healthcare clinics from Amanzimtoti into Illovo and Umkomaas reveal that grass and shrubs are overgrowing premises, there is a shortage in medical disposal equipment, especially containers for needles and dressing, some toilets are unserviceable and awaiting plumbers to attend, unexpected power outages, faulty equipment and equipment that requires servicing, shortages in basics such as toilet paper and handwash, broken windows and a shortage of staff resulting in long periods of waiting,” said Cllr Beetge.
“This is, however a crisis across the entire city and testament to incompetent planning and accommodating specific interest groups such as military veterans, who are demanding preferential awarding of contracts.”
The Sun sent a query to eThekweni Municipality, but no response was forthcoming.
