EThekwini Municipality will hold a public meeting on 4 March at the Luthuli Hall, City Hall at 10h00 and interested parties are invited to attend. Pic: Supplied EThekwini Municipality will hold a public meeting on 4 March at the Luthuli Hall, City Hall at 10h00 and interested parties are invited to attend. Pic: Supplied
EThekwini Municipality has begun the process of consultation on the 2018/19 Annual Report and invites the public to provide their comments.
A public meeting will be held on 4 March at the Luthuli Hall, City Hall at 10h00. All interested parties are invited to attend.
The City’s service delivery performance report for the past financial year gives a detailed account of service delivery achievements, challenges and consolidated annual financial statements. Comments received from this process also inform the Integrated Development Plan and the budgets for the upcoming financial years.
The report shows that, despite challenges, such as poor growth of revenue and rapid urbanisation, eThekwini Municipality has performed well and received an unqualified opinion from the Auditor general. City leadership has committed to accelerate service delivery and ensure an improved quality of life for residents throughout the entire eThekwini Municipal area.
The Municipality continues delivery to the poorest of the poor. The City supplies electricity to more than 740 000 customers covering 2 000 kms and has successfully provided free basic electricity to 109 749 indigent households.
The Cleansing and Solid waste Unit provides a full range of services to 3.4 million residential, industrial and commercial customers and provides weekly refuse removal service is provided to 1 063 624 households and 106% of indigent households.
The City has delivered 3142 new houses, completed 32 new family units and refurbished 223 units. The Human Settlements also exceed their target and acquired 614 hectares of land for housing.
These human settlements are built within centres of economic activity to ensure employment close to where people live. As a result, the city again scooped numerous awards at the Govan Mbeki Awards which demonstrated we are indeed a city hard at work. The Human Settlements Unit and Water and Sanitation Unit were jointly recognised as amongst the top 15 global initiatives shortlisted for the Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation.
The Water department has ensured that 85% households have access to least basic level of water services and 98% have access to free basic services.
The Municipality continues to be in a strong and stable financial position, underpinned mainly by a good cash collection of 91.9% and cost coverage rate, growth in revenue, moderate gearing, and strong liquidity.
The Municipality managed to maintain its investment grade credit rating from AA to AA+ in the long term and its short-term credit rating of A1+ with a stable outlook.
The year was characterised by growth in revenue of 4 percent year-on-year, low gearing of 25% which is well below the National Treasury benchmark of 45%-50%, stable debt and strong liquidity.
The Municipality continued its impressive track record in terms of service delivery with a capital spend of R4.951 billion, which is 75 percent of the approved capital budget. Delays in contracts due to poor performance by contractors, procurement and legal challenges/ delays on four road projects, appeals processes on some projects and work stoppages due to the strikes and business forums challenges, which resulted in slower spend. However, the City has put measures in place to mitigate these challenges.
The Annual Report is available on the Municipality’s website at www.durban.gov.za. It is also available at Sizakala Centres and libraries.
Members of the public are invited to browse through the report and provide feedback to Noky Nyasulu on email [email protected].
The Municipality will be able to assist in transcribing representations and comments, should such services be required. The closing date for comments is 13 March 2020.