ONLY 10 Bay wards will receive major facelifts for the development and upgrade of parks in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM) for the 2019/2020 financial year.
This comes after the metro allocated millions from the new financial year’s capital budget to develop and upgrade parks in wards 8, 19, 21, 22, 28, 36, 44, 50, 51 and 55, according to municipal spokesperson, Mthubanzi Mniki.
The ward to receive the most, totalling a whopping R2 million, is ward 51 (Willow Dam), where maintenance of a tar road and an additional parking area is currently underway.
Ward 51 councillor, Pieter Terblanche, said the funds allocated to his ward are not sufficient for all necessary developments.
“We are in the process of upgrading certain parts of my ward.
“The funds given by the municipality, however, are not enough to cover all upgrades and developments for parks.
“For instance, the parks in my ward are in need of additional playing equipment. We will discuss this issue further with the municipality,” Terblanche said.
Ward 8 councillor, Gustav Rautenbach, said that he initially had applied for much-needed upgrades in his ward due to an increase in residents.
Rautenbach added, “There is a need for certain upgrades and developments of parks in my ward as the population in my ward has increased over the years. The funds received from the municipality, will go towards catering for more parks.”
However, other wards in the metro were allegedly excluded after applying for funds for parks from the municipality.
According to ward 10 councillor, Andy Jordan, he has not yet received funds from the municipality after applying last year to upgrade and develop parks located in his ward.
This excludes the park in Neave Street, which is a Mandela Bay Development Agency project.
“We did not receive funds from the municipality for the 2018/2019 financial year and yet again, we are being excluded,” Jordan said.
“We held an IDP meeting last week and residents said that there is a desperate need for park developments in the Gelvandale area.
“When looking at the list of wards receiving funds, there’s not one ward in the northern areas.
“It is very disappointing to see that Ward 10 and other wards in the northern areas are yet again being excluded,” Jordan added.
The allocations for the various wards are as follows:
. Ward 8 – R450 000 (project one)
. Ward 8 – R282 000 (project two)
. Ward 8 – R668 000 (project three)
. Ward 19 – R1.89 million
. Ward 21 – R1.4 million
. Ward 22 – R1.6 million
. Ward 28 – R1.4 million
.
Ward 36 – R1.5 million
. Ward 44 – R1.5 million
. Ward 44 – R300 000
. W
ard 50 – R1.4 million
. Ward 51(Willow Dam) – R 2 million
. Ward 55 – R1.5 million.
