Parliament, Thursday, 29 October 2020 – The Eastern Cape Provincial delegation to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) advised the leadership of the Makana Local Municipality to use the resources that are at its disposal such as Rhodes University, particularly its engineering academics’ and students’ expertise on the municipality’s ageing and crumbling infrastructure, and on the problems of the shortage of water and sewerage.
The delegation, which was accompanied by Members of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature, received a briefing from the leadership of the municipality yesterday on the state of the municipality. Ms Zukiswa Ncitha, who chaired the briefing session, told the leadership of the municipality to use the natural gift of clay at its disposal as its “gold mine”. “This clay is not everywhere. It is a gift and a source of opportunities to this community. Use it as your gold mine,” Ms Ncitha said.
Briefing the delegation and Members of the Legislature, the Mayor of Mokana Local Municipality, Mr Mxolisi Mpahlwa, said the municipality enjoys political and administrative stability. “The council is united, political parties that form the council are united and the administration is also united,” said Mr Mpahlwa.
He said the municipality is experiencing high levels of litigations and ageing infrastructure. He said some of the litigations come from non-governmental organissations and service providers who sometimes challenge the municipality’s tender decisions.
Mr Mpahlwa and his team presented the municipality’s plans to alleviate the problem of the shortage of water that has riddled the municipality for quite some time. Asked by the delegation about the sources of the problems of the shortage of water and sewerage, Mr Mpahlwa attributed the problems to the ageing infrastructure, which he said, is obviously unable to take the demands of the growing population.
The delegation and Members of the Legislature visited Jameskleyhans Bulk Water Supply, Mayfield Bulk Outfall Sewer and Belmont Valley WWTW Repair Works projects in the Makana Local Municipality. The delegation expressed its happiness about progress made and the fact that the municipality was receptive to the province on section 154. The delegation is optimistic that the challenges of water are soon going to be the thing of the past as the municipality is getting ready for phase one on sanitation.
On the prevailing tendency of land invasion, the delegation advised the municipality to make sure that all the land parcels are owned by the municipality and should obtain a court order to prevent land evasion.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE PROVINCIAL WHIP OF THE EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL DELEGATION TO THE NCOP, MS NOKUZOLA NDONGENI.
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