The Democratic Alliance (DA) in uMngeni will be writing to Corporate Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Sipho Hlomuka requesting his urgent intervention in Umngeni Municipality that continues to spend money on wasteful expenditures instead of focusing on critical issues such as the maintenance of roads.
The state of roads in the uMngeni municipality is disastrous. See a picture here. The deteriorating roads pose a hazard to lives and are harmful to the local economy. Motorists and pedestrians are at risk as cars often either have to drive off the road or into oncoming traffic to avoid the potholes. Equally as frustrating is that the ailing infrastructure and the state of our roads is a deterrent for investors and negatively affects job creation and local economic growth.
As part of the Municipal budget submissions, the Democratic Alliance suggested the municipality should double its budget for road repairs. An increased road budget would enable the municipality to address the backlog in road repairs adequately. This would also create short term work opportunities as a spin-off.
On numerous occasions, the DA has called upon the municipality to embark on an aggressive collection of outstanding rates and utility bills; reduce the security contract to affordable levels; spend only on essentials and forego the ‘nice to haves’. Slashing the security budget by R6m and increasing our outstanding debt collection by R2m per month would free up R30 million per annum for road repairs.
The DA in uMngeni urges residents to sign the petition and get involved in our War On Potholes campaign by using this link.