While the Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaDukuza welcomes the oversight done by National Treasury on the controversial Hulett Bridge in Ward 2, we are concerned that the site still remains dormant.
With the exception of heavily armed guards and security cameras, the project area is devoid of any construction activity. In addition to this, the Civil Engineering Business unit has purposefully removed reports that provide pertinent project information such as contractual milestones and cash flow projections from the Infrastructure and Technical Services Portfolio committee.
This nefarious move has hamstrung councillors from effectively interrogating projects implemented under the disaster grant funding. In light of this, we will be writing to the Municipal Manager, Nhlanhla Mdakane to request the following:
• That the Municipal Manager immediately invokes the requisite breach clauses of the Service Level Agreement with the contractor;
• That a detailed report, including project scope and values, is presented to full council on disaster funded projects completed and in progress by this specific service provider; and
• That a full technical and financial audit is undertaken on all disaster funded projects.
We call on the Municipal Manager to take council into his confidence and advise how the stagnant projects will impact a rollover application. In addition, we call on the ANC Provincial Chairperson, Siboniso Duma to abandon tomorrow’s planned march for jobs against his own government and rather come to KwaDukuza and witness firsthand the grand scale plundering that is underway by his comrades and deployed cadres.