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The DA in uMgungundlovu District has written to the Acting Municipal Manager, Nosipho Mkhize to request an urgent investigation into the municipality’s proposed procurement of 25 boreholes at R400 000 each.

In a recent council item at uMgungundlovu, it was revealed that R20 million has been granted by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) to the district to provide VIP toilets and Boreholes.

This is much appreciated for rural residents who are in need of these toilets. The VIP toilet is a basic structure with three concrete sides, a toilet over a long drop, a roof and door. These cost R17,000 each. The District will be providing 590. The other R10 million will be spent on 25 boreholes. We questioned the R400,000 per borehole and were given an explanation that they are bulk supply boreholes. The price still seems excessive, being aware of private boreholes being supplied at under R40,000.

This smacks of corruption and graft. Who is benefitting from this fat built into the contracts?

The Municipal Financial Management act is clear that public funds spent should achieve value for money as a standard. In practise, this is not happening, at the expense of service delivery.

The problem with this is that so much business, increased economic activity and self-employment could be achieved if money was not wasted on contractors and services that are inflated. If reasonable and competitive market prices were paid and ratepayers money protected much more could be invested in infrastructure development, service delivery and public private partnerships.

It is this short sighted, self-serving and “enriching the few” mentality, which is harming the people who need services most and breaking down natural economic development which would occur if common sense business practises was applied.

DA-run uMngeni has begun a process to standardise expenditure to ensure that value for money is achieved and ratepayers’ money is protected. This will result in your rands going much further and the results are already starting to show in more streetlights, more repairs and maintenance and generally better service delivery.

This championing of openness and competitiveness will result in a more conducive municipality for business to be done, therefore more jobs and an upward spiral of success for all.

Issued by by Councillor Hazel Lake - DA uMgungundlovu Caucus Leader