The King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) Local Municipality, still processing the rejection by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) of its ambitions to be a Metropolitan Municipality by 2026, has revealed several interventions aimed at, at least, making Mthatha a city fit to be the face of a metropolitan municipality.
In a statement issued by the office of executive mayor, Nyaniso Nelani, the municipality said it acknowledged the decision of the MDB to reject their application to be categorised a Metropolitan Municipality in 2026, but stressed that it will work within the existing framework to deliver services to communities.
Spokesperson to the executive mayor, Olwethu Mabovula, said,
She said that the municipality had conducted a comprehensive assessment on unsightly buildings, and identified those that required immediate attention while prioritising them based on their condition and location.
Mabovula said that the buildings that required attention include the Grosvenor Hotel and Transkei Hotel which were destroyed by fire, as well as the Windsor Hotel owned by the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC).
On Grosvenor Hotel, Mabovula said that the plan to develop the building into a commercial building for shops and accommodation has been approved, with construction work expected to commence from February 1.
On the dilapidated Transkei Hotel, she said that despite construction having started in September last year, work has been halted due to unforeseen circumstances.
Mabovula said that the municipality had issued the ECDC with a 90-day notice to either renovate or demolish the building. It remains unclear when the 90-day period will lapse.
She further revealed that the municipality has identified land for the development of a parkade aimed at easing traffic congestion in Mthatha.
“We have implemented strict bylaws to ensure that building owners are held accountable for the maintenance of their properties. By enforcing existing regulations and introducing new ones, we can encourage property owners to invest in the upkeep and improvement of their buildings,” Mabovula said.
She added that the municipality continues to conduct regular inspections of buildings and will issue fines for non-compliance with municipal bylaws.
