Throughout the month of September, Buffalo City residents get an opportunity to interact with Buffalo City Metro leadership discussing service delivery issues, following the launch of the ‘Thetha Nathi’ community outreach campaign by the municipality in Mdantsane on Tuesday, September 10.
The ‘Thetha nathi’ community outreach campaign, loosely translated “talk to us” will afford Buffalo City residents an opportunity to engage with Metro leadership, discussing service delivery issues affecting various municipal wards, make suggestions and receive feedback from the municipality.
Over the years, Buffalo City Metro (BCM) has come under a lot of criticism for its failure to fully complete some of its major bulk infrastructure projects, including the multi-million rand Zwelitsha bulk sewer project, and the R3 million Mdantsane NU2 swimming pool where construction is currently underway.
In her 2022-23 consolidated general report on municipal audit outcomes last month, Auditor-General (AG) Tsakani Maluleke lambasted the Metro for its continued failure to complete the Zwelitsha bulk sewer project, which has been halted due to community unrest, contractor non-performance, procurement irregularities, and subsequent litigation processes.
The Metro is yet to appoint a replacement contractor to continue, and possibly finish, work at the regional sewerage scheme for Bhisho, Qonce and Zwelitsha communities.
At the launch of the “Thetha nathi” campaign in Mdantsase, which was attended by Mayor Princess Faku, Council Speaker Humphrey Maxhegwana, councillors and accounting officials, residents focused on basic service delivery issues, including water, electricity, poor road infrastructure, and municipal billing system, among others.
Mdantsane residents have been complaining about the continued water and electricity outages, which would continue for consecutive days.
Mdantsane resident Vuyokazi Ntanjana said they have been without water for the past two days, adding that they are also faced with continued power outages.
At the launch, Mayor Faku said they had identified that an information gap existed between the municipality and its residents.
As part of the campaign, the Metro will also be assisting residents with indigent registrations which carry grant subsidies that include free monthly water and electricity, senior citizens’ rates rebate discounts, and tariff debt incentives.
The community outreach campaign is expected to continue to various other Buffalo City regions, including the Qonce, Bhisho, Zwelitsha, and Tshatshu areas.
