After receiving a warm welcome as she chaired her first meeting as Nelson Mandela Bay’s infrastructure and engineering political head, Buyelwa Mafaya faced sharp criticism from her committee as she attempted to justify the directorate’s expenditure rate of just 2%.
The directorate has a R685m capital budget.
Mafaya told the committee on Thursday that comparing expenditure on water and sanitation — which falls under her directorate — with electricity services was wrong because electricity was more important.
She was attempting to quell discussion on her directorate’s under-expenditure after the low rate drew fierce criticism from councillors.
A report presented to the committee revealed that the directorate had spent only R16m by the end of October — a third of the way into the current financial year.
Delays in spending were attributed to various issues, including challenges with payment approvals and delays in the directorate’s approval of bid specification committee items.
“Bid committees are not meeting regularly due to no quorum being available, expenditure is only reflected on the system once creditors have authorised payment, and supply chain management delays in actioning the resolutions from the city manager’s office,” the report reads.
DA councillor Dries van der Westhuyzen expenditure should be at 22%, considering that almost half of the financial year had already passed.
“The 2% is dismal,” he said.
Van der Westhuyzen said he had attended an electricity and energy committee meeting last week at which it was disclosed that expenditure was at 22%.
Mafaya countered that comparing the two directorates was unfair because their services were implemented differently.
“You can’t compare the expenditure in the electricity department and our directorate.
“As much as areas we service require both water and electricity, electrification is needed more than anything else and all informal settlements require this service,” Mafaya said.
Van der Westhuyzen cautioned Mafana against saying electricity was more important than water.
However, she said that was not what she meant.
“Let me correct it, they’re both important but the pace they’re [water and electricity services] moving is not the same.
“I understand water is life, but this service requires standpipes while informal settlements are there for us to install electricity.”
ANC councillor Gamalihleli Maqula said the report painted an indefensible picture of the directorate’s expenditure.
“We’re nearing the end of the second term but have not built a single toilet.
“This report paints a bad picture. We can’t defend it.
“You can have electricity, but you still need water.
“I am not sure what you are saying about the pace but let’s not try to defend this long-standing bad conduct by the officials.
“If we won’t be open and acknowledge this issue we will continue having this problem.”
DA councillor Masixole Zinto said if the city continued in this manner, it might forfeit grant funding again.
“The Bill of Rights in the constitution talks about water and sanitation and not electricity.
“Water provision is essential and as a city, we are forced to oblige.
“We’re waiting for a disaster to happen while sitting at 2% expenditure.”
EFF councillor Siyabulela Mosi said there should be healthy competition among the directorates and that comparing them was not a bad thing.
“Electricity has serious challenges but through all of this they spent some of their budget.
“We need to do our best.”
The infrastructure and engineering directorate’s acting executive director, Joseph Tsatsire, said the report was outdated and that the directorate had spent more than what was reflected.
“I just don’t have the latest figures yet, but we take all the [comments] from councillors about the need to spend more, which will require a joint effort with other units to unblock some of the challenges faced.”
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