uMhlathuze Municipality Exco meeting extracts

Spreading the wealth

• Tenders for the repair of surfaced roads in the city were designed to provide work opportunities for more people. Separate tenders were listed for Richards Bay, Empangeni and eSikhaleni. Pending a 14-day objection period, service level agreements will be entered into with Nizenande Investment, Trillionaire Group and Liwa Construction and Development.

• Market stalls are to be constructed at Ngwelezana Hospital and pending the normal formalities, the tender in the amount of R1 929 598 was awarded to Ziyabuya Zama Trading.

• Market stalls will also be built at Ngwelezana Taxi Rank and the tender, worth R3 180 695, was awarded to Empilweni Trading (Pty) Ltd.

Change of focus

Given the changing social scenario, the municipality is looking to expand its libraries and museums from being information centres to becoming community centres.

Rather than merely being a place where books are collected, housed and lent, the city’s seven libraries will instead cater to the needs of communities and special groups.

Assisting in teaching digital skills will feature highly in the new strategy, with education and culture also key components.

Working relationships with cultural and arts and crafts groups will ensure growth in user numbers at museums, as well as greater social cohesion.

A sting in the tail

Unkempt swimming pools, overgrown vacant properties and stagnant streams all have one thing in common – breeding places for mosquitoes.

The proliferation of mozzies in the city came up for debate.

‘We need to workshop this issue,’ said Mayor Mdu Mhlongo. ‘It seems this year there are more mosquitoes around.

‘The provincial Department of Health only reacts if there is any chance of malaria being spread, which is not the case here, so we need to find answers.’

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