Organisations, parties hold meeting to unite Durban
Durban — eThekwini United Ratepayers, Business and Civics Organisation (EURBCO) and ActionSA held a virtual meeting to address the infrastructure issue plaguing the eThekwini Municipality.
Vice-chairperson of the Bluff Ratepayers and Residents Association (BRRA) Allison Schoeman said BRRA was one of the founding members of the EURBCO banner. The objective of the meeting was to set the stage for a collective effort to address the pressing infrastructure issues plaguing eThekwini.
“We aimed to outline the scope of the project, define the roles and expectations of all participants, and establish a clear road map for the conditional assessments of known infrastructure hot spots. By the end of this meeting, we hoped to have a solid action plan and commitment from all in place that will guide our next steps towards significant and sustainable improvements in our city’s infrastructure,” Schoeman said.
The infrastructure in eThekwini, particularly water and sewerage systems, faces significant challenges. Key issues include water system failures and sewerage system overloads, said Schoeman.
According to Schoeman, the initial phases of the #TeamRescueEthekwini project will provide a foundational framework for potentially expanding the scope to address additional infrastructure needs, such as electrical grids and roadways, based on the outcomes and insights gained from the water and sewer initiatives.
“Successful management and rehabilitation of these systems are crucial for improving public health and the overall quality of life,” she said.
In EURBCO’s statement, they ironed out the scope of the #TeamRescueEthekwini project.
They said: “The project is a targeted initiative aimed at revitalising critical infrastructure within the eThekwini Municipality, with an initial focus on water and sewer systems. This project prioritises these areas due to their direct impact on public health and daily living conditions. Upon successful interventions and assessments in these areas, the project may expand to address other infrastructure issues, including electrical systems and road networks, contingent on the availability of resources and initial success.”
Expected outcomes from the meeting included:
- detailed infrastructure assessments
- strategic collaboration
- budget reallocation and funding
- implementation of sustainable solutions
- community engagement and transparency
EURBCO also planned out a timeline following this meeting:
- Initial meeting and project launch: May 2024
- Completion of water and sewer assessments: December 2024
- Negotiations for budget reallocation: January 2025
- Start of implementation for water and sewer solutions: February 2025
- Evaluation and potential expansion to other infrastructure: July 2025 onwards
ActionSA’s premier candidate in KwaZulu-Natal, Zwakele Mncwango, said there was a need to bring all stakeholders – mainly water experts and ratepayer associations – to engage regarding what can be done to rescue eThekwini regarding water shortages. Mncwango said some communities had not had water for between six months to four years.
Mncwango said they will seek assistance from the courts to force the municipality (eThekwini) to grant them permission to do oversights in treatment plants and reservoirs.
“When we did oversights, we were denied access. We need to have professionals who understand the water infrastructure and what needs to be done to fix it. When we go to court again, we will have enough information from these experts. We will have a report of what’s been broken, how to fix it, and if there’s a need to bring new infrastructure,” he said.
Mncwango said the meeting will help decide the way forward.
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