Parliament, Saturday, 16 September 2023-The KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN’s) permanent delegates to the NCOP marked the conclusion of their week-long Provincial Week programme yesterday by visiting eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality where they, together with their counterparts, KZN Members of Legislature, received briefings from the municipality on a wide range of issues.
The KZN NCOP delegation and its provincial counterparts highlighted the successes and failures of both provincial and local governments regarding service delivery and infrastructural development projects that include roads, water, sanitation and water treatment projects. The province and the municipalities were commended by the NCOP delegation about the progress that has been made and encouraged them to do more.
The municipality told the NCOP delegation about progress it made under very difficult circumstances on the provision of assistance to the victims of the April and May 2022 flood disasters. The delegation was also informed by the municipality about, revenue management, progress on projects funded through the Municipal Disaster Response Grant, among other things.
The delegation commended the Municipality for achieving a collection rate of 94% based on unaudited figures in the 2022/23 financial year. It also commended the municipality for remaining the leading metropolitan municipality countrywide regarding spending on Urban Settlements Development Grant (USDG). The delegation heard that the municipality has been spending 100% of its USDG in the past five years.
The NCOP delegation and the KZN Members of the Provincial Legislature expressed concerns over eThekwini’s water loss of about 60% and they recommended that there should be plans in place to mitigate against water losses. The delegation also visited road R102 at uMlazi interchange which is undergoing emergency repairs works.
The delegation was pleased by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements efforts in resettling the victims of floods at the Astra building in Durban as part of Transitional Emergency Accommodation of about 200 families. It said the good work of the City now serves as a model for the national government on how to deal with disasters.
The delegation will compile a consolidated Provincial Week report for consideration and adoption by the National Council of Provinces in the coming weeks.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE WHIP OF KWAZULU-NATAL DELEGATION OF THE PERMANENT DELEGATE TO THE NCOP, MR ENOCH MTHETHWA.
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