Duduza Parks Depot in a failed state
by Cllr Patricia Mathebula — DA PR Councillor in the City of Ekurhuleni
Date: 6 November 2023
Release: Immediate
Type: Media statement
Following an oversight visit by the Democratic Alliance with the Environmental Resources and Waste Management Services on the 17th of August 2023 to the Duduza metro parks depot. What the DA uncovered was unsatisfactory.
The project reported 100% expenditure of the budget allocated by the end of the 4th quarter but the works on the depot are very questionable. It took the department 5 to 6 months for the foundation of the ablution and guardhouse foundation to be completed and currently the foundation that has been built is below par but the department has the audacity to submit invoices.
I stand with the community and was prepared to debate the item in council and fight for the people of Duduza.
The following speech was going to be delivered in Council:
“Good Day Speaker, All protocol is observed.
Speaker, prosper in unfinished projects is what we should be using as a slogan of this municipality. The fact that the department utilised 100% of its budget in the 4th Quarter after a slow start between the 1st and 2nd Quarter leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth.
Speaker this project has proven like many other projects in the city to have questionable work quality and construction standards which is evident with the foundation of the site in question, the delayed time it took to construct an ablution facility and guardhouse which can’t be seen clearly now due to the overgrown grass, and then to have the department to submit invoices for less than satisfactory work is unacceptable.
While endangering the life of the ward Cllr who is now left to mitigate raging members of communities that seek answers, community members who have been yearning for some development in their area as they have felt forgotten and neglected for some years now. As the DA we are glad to see that this item has been recommended to go to MPAC. Speaker, we need to decide whether are we a City that will condone incomplete construction projects or enablers of an environment where services are rendered with value for money and within stated timelines.
We need to start taking a firm stance on those tenderpreneurs who are only here to fill their pockets and aren’t able to meet contractual agreements. We need to start blacklisting companies so that they won’t do business with the city ever again. The milking of taxpayer’s money needs to stop.
Thank you, Speaker.”
We will keep monitoring the item as it has been referred to MPAC for further investigation. The people of Duduza deserve a depot in their area so that can see more services happening from their own depot they can feel more involved instead of feeling neglected as they have been for many years.
Cllr Patricia Mathebula
DA PR Councillor in the City of Ekurhuleni
081 521 9164
