“Staying ahead of the curve to proactively deal with ward-based service delivery concerns is a must to ensure that communities have no need to resort to protests to have their needs met,” said Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality executive mayor Mongameli Bobani, on the first day of the new financial year.
Hailed as progressively pro-poor, 91% of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Capital Budget is allocated for infrastructure development and improvements in poorer wards.
Addressing officials and community stakeholders at the Uitenhage Town Hall, mayor Bobani encouraged direct interaction by ward councillors and other public representatives with community members.
“I plan a meeting with all ward councillors of Uitenhage and Despatch next week to discuss their budget allocations and ensuring that their constituencies are engaged and informed of what projects and developments are coming their way.
“If we move with speed from day one of this new financial year, there will be no need for communities to toyi-toyi as we will be doing our duty in an efficient and transparent manner,” mayor Bobani said.
From the combined R12,6 billion capital and operating budgets, some of the budgeted items are:
•R200 million for housing delivery
•R223 million for the upgrading and construction of substations, electrification of houses
•R482 million is set aside for infrastructure and engineering
•A total of R317 million is provided to upgrade water treatment facilities, the rehabilitation of water reservoirs and the provision of bulk water service infrastructure to support housing delivery and economic development.
The financial year ends 30 June 2020.
