The leadership of eThekwini Municipality has to prioritise service delivery, instead of approving a R25 million budget to purchase top-end vehicles reportedly for mayor Mxolisi Kaunda and his executive.
A report tabled before the finance and emergency services committee last week revealed that the City was looking to spend this amount on new vehicles for its Security and Protection Services Unit.
Despite fierce opposition from other political parties, the City’s executive committee gave the proposal the nod. All that is left for the proposal to be implemented is for the full council to give its final stamp of approval.
While we do not believe that the City’s political leadership should be driven in old and rickety jalopies, we believe that the litany of challenges facing eThekwini right now do not justify such spending.
There is agreement, even within the ranks of the ruling party, that the City is in bad shape when it comes to service delivery.
Several communities are holding protests as they have been without water for several months, pothole-riddled roads have become a nightmare for motorists, incorrect municipal billing is sending many City residents into depression.
As if that was not enough, ratepayers have launched fierce opposition to the tariff hikes proposed by the municipality, saying they are unaffordable. Businesses have also entered the fray recently, complaining about the crime and grime that is chasing away investors in the City, as well as the development levies that they believe are anti-development.
The anger that has been shown by the ratepayers since the news of the vehicles’ purchase surfaced is justified. We concur with the sentiments expressed by an opposition party member that “new cars are not a necessity, but a privilege and that the current fleet can still be used”.
The leadership should be coming up with high-level strategic thinking that will lead to the revival of the Durban Beachfront so we can see tourists walking the Golden Mile’s impressive promenade. While we do not dispute the need for the political leadership to be protected, we do not believe that spending R25m on luxury vehicles is the way to go about it.
The Mercury