On Friday 5 September, Members of the Executive Committee (EXCO), led by Mayor James Nxumalo, conducted site visits to four wards that will be incorporated into eThekwini Municipality in 2016. Three of the wards are currently part of the Vulamehlo Local Municipality under the Ugu District Municipality. The other ward is under the Mkhambathini Local Municipality in Umgungundlovu District.
The eThekwini delegation, which included Deputy Mayor Nomvuzo Shabalala, EXCO members Nigel Gumede and Nondumiso Cele, Chief Whip Stanley Xulu and senior Municipal officials, met with Vulamehlo Mayor Thabani Dube, local Amakhosi and councillors, who gave them a brief overview of the service delivery needs and challenges that will be inherited by eThekwini in the wards.
Dube said the vastly rural wards under his council were still in need of basic services like water, electricity, tarred roads and transportation.
“As a small Municipality we have done all we can to facilitate development in these areas but we are limited by resources. Amakhosi in the area are excited at being incorporated into eThekwini and they have already drawn up a list of priorities that they would like eThekwini to address,” he said.
Mayor Nxumalo said the Municipality was preparing for 2016 when these Wards change jurisdiction.
“We are now looking at the needs and challenges as well as doing assessments of the Wards that will fall under eThekwini Municipality. We have brought with us our senior officials who will do the ground work in preparation for 2016. We are happy with the way we have been received by the local leadership, including Amakhosi and councilors,” he said.
Last year the Demarcations Board announced that Vulamehlo will be amalgamated with the Umdoni Municipality, with three of its wards being incorporated into eThekwini as part of the boundary changes that will see KwaZulu-Natal municipalities being reduced from 61 to 54.
The visit to the area is part of ongoing engagements between the affected municipalities to facilitate the transfer of resources.
