Latest news with #MakanaMunicipality
Daily Maverick
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Mystery solved — ‘missing' Makana water pump found on Benoni factory floor
An essential piece of equipment that's meant to ease severe water supply issues in Makhanda is safe and in Gauteng – where it will stay until payment has been made. A 'missing' R4.7-million water pump that the Eastern Cape's Makana Local Municipality refuses to discuss has been standing at a company that manufactures, repairs and services pumps in Benoni, Gauteng, since 24 February 2023. Francois Grobbelaar from Donnlee Pump Tech, who almost choked on his coffee when he read about the pump in last week's DM168, is keen to get rid of it. 'This pump is not missing,' he said. 'It stands here and it works on my nerves. It has become a running joke on the factory floor, and I am stuck with it. 'I think Koos Kombuis and Valiant Swart said it best. You tell them [the municipality], 'Johnny is nie dood nie, hy's net uitgepass (Johnny is not dead, he's just passed out)',' Grobbelaar continued, referring to the Afrikaans singers' version of the popular song. He said the Makana Municipality awarded a contract for the pump worth R4.7-million to Manco Business Enterprise, based in East London. On 14 July 2022, Manco contracted Donnlee to manufacture the pump, a highly specialised piece of equipment, and so it did. The pump was completed on 24 February 2023, but it wasn't released because it had not been paid for in full. Eventually, the debt owed on the pump by the Makana Municipality was ceded to Donnlee Pump Tech and, more than two years later, it is still standing on the floor in its factory. According to council agendas, the municipality is – correctly – under the impression that the pump was paid for and not delivered. Former director of infrastructural services and engineering Asanda Gidana was fired in November 2023 for paying for the pump without following due diligence, among other issues. In her case against the municipality at the Local Government Bargaining Council, it was conceded that a partial or 'progressive' payment was made in terms of a service level agreement for the pump. Grobbelaar said that every now and then someone would come to see him and ask how much it would cost to buy the pump. 'Even the Gift of the Givers team was here at one stage,' he added. 'So if the municipality says the pump is missing, they are lying. I speak to their legal department almost every week. 'I don't want the pump and I can't really sell it to someone else. I really want my auditors off my back about it. I have a long email trail that shows you how I've tried.' After Daily Maverick started asking questions about the pump, Grobbelaar was invited to a meeting with the Makana Municipality on Wednesday, 6 August, but it was cancelled. The municipality, the Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation and the Amatola Water utility, which sells bulk water to Eastern Cape municipalities, did not respond to requests for comment. Dire situation But the agendas for the municipality's infrastructure and engineering committee provide more disturbing facts. At the time of the tender for the pump being put out in June 2022, there had been more than 100 water outages in Makhanda in the first six months of the year. The pump was destined for the Howieson's Poort pumping station, which supplies water to the Waainek water treatment works. Waainek has a capacity of eight megalitres a day and serves the town area, the prison, hospitals and Rhodes University. Raw water is pumped to this system from the Howieson's Poort and Settlers dams. Lungile Mxube, a councillor for the Makana Citizens Front, laid a charge of fraud and corruption against the municipal manager and the mayor last week over the 'loss' of the pump. Part of his complaint is that they had failed to recoup the municipality's losses for the pump from Manco. In an affidavit explaining his opening a case against the officials for contravening the Municipal Finance Act, Mxube wrote that 'a payment of R2,694,029.63' to Manco for the supply, installation and delivery of a water pump to the municipality was 'wrongfully facilitated'. Councillors in the Makana council said they had been asking questions about the pump for years. AfriForum came to investigate. Two witnesses who followed the money trail were apparently threatened. Council agendas further reveal that there are more pumps that have been abandoned at engineering factories as the municipality cannot pay for their repair. One report states: 'The challenges are inappropriate humans and a lack of skills and supply chain management.' In several agendas, councillors also express their frustration that the town's chief financial officer, Nomfundo Ntsangani, does not attend meetings or sends a representative to discuss issues of payment for essential equipment, among other things. Council at a loss Officials have been warning countless times since 2024 that there was a single pump working at Howieson's Poort pumping station (where the Donnlee pump must go) and that it was at high risk because there was no backup pump. One was finally installed in June. According to council reports, two other pumps from different water plants around the town were taken in for repairs. One is now at Sulzer Pumps, where it has been since March 2024 because the municipality owed an amount that was later clarified to be R1.8-million. Another pump was taken in for repairs by the Department of Water and Sanitation's implementing agent, Amatola Water, and the council owes R500,000 for it. From June's agenda it appears that there could be more than one pump at Sulzer as there is a promise to sort out 'the Sulzer pumps', but this may just refer to the company's name. The latest available set of agendas for the infrastructure and engineering committee is for June. The Donnlee pump gets a mention in that the case is now with the municipality's legal department. In July, local activist Philip Machanick said it was clear that, after the Makana Business and Residents' Association asked for information on the whereabouts of the town's pumps, the council did not know. After city manager Pumelelo Kate had to depose an affidavit revealing where all the pumps were, he was forced to admit that the municipality had 'lost control' of some of its pumps. DM This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.
The Herald
29-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
Frustrated Makhanda residents claim vacant municipal land to build homes
Frustrated by years of empty promises and stalled housing developments, hundreds of Makhanda residents have taken matters into their own hands, illegally demarcating vacant municipal land for their own use. Residents blocked the N2 towards Qonce and the R67 that runs along the demarcated area on Sunday and Monday, burning barricades made of tyres and debris. The Makana municipality was preparing to file a court application to interdict the residents from occupying the land zoned for commercial use. Police used stun grenades to disperse residents who had gathered on the field that runs along the R67 on Sunday and again on Monday to ease traffic congestion. The protesters then moved to Joza township where they blocked intersections of taxi routes until early evening on Monday. On Sunday, hundreds of residents gathered on the field known as eGolfini [old golf course] on the R67 and demarcated the land using poles, sticks, rocks and building material. For many years, the land has been used for initiation schools for Xhosa boys transitioning into manhood. Dozens of cars lined up along the road behind Extension 5 and the Eluxolweni communities when the drama took place. Community leader Simphiwe Mdluli said elderly people and the majority of the working class in Makhanda lived in back yards or were renting because they did not qualify for bonds. 'There is no new housing project on the cards, while the municipality has previously promised to commence with phase two of the old Extension 10 housing development,' he said. 'It's been years with nothing being said, hence the community identified unused land for occupation while they wait for the municipality because we are tired of this incompetent municipality.' Mdluli said elderly people had joined the cause because during the first phase of the Extension 10 development, people who did not qualify allegedly got houses and more than one person in one family had benefited. 'If you checked title deeds in Extension 10 you'd find that one person [allegedly] owns three houses and this is why we can't discuss this any further but just want land so we can erect our structures.' Mdluli said the community would make Makhanda ungovernable until their concerns were addressed. An Extension 5 resident, who did not want to be named, said an informal settlement near bond houses was a disaster waiting to happen. 'I know many people who are understandably desperate for houses will disagree with this but we can't be paying millions for our houses and live next to an informal settlement; this will devalue our properties,' the resident said. 'Looking at socioeconomic conditions of this town and the high unemployment rate, a combination of a community of haves and have-nots will develop and that will lead to violence, crime and intolerance. 'The municipality is correct to stop it but it has a responsibility to hear the people and come up with a solution for their valid complaints.' Municipal spokesperson Anele Mjekula confirmed they were preparing court documents in a bid to interdict any land grabs in the city. Mjekula said mayor Yandiswa Vara had visited the scene on Sunday to explain why informal structures could not be built. 'The mayor explained that the land they wanted to occupy had been earmarked for business developments and that they were not allowed to build there,' Mjekula said. 'Despite the explanation, residents insisted that they would forcefully build houses on the land. 'Among the issues raised during the meeting in support of the illegal land occupation were the lack of housing developments for local people. 'In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, the residents were advised to form a committee which would formally engage with the municipality on the way forward regarding the need for housing developments.' Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said they were working with traffic officers to monitor the situation. 'Police can confirm that they are investigating a case of contravention of the prevention of illegal eviction from an Unlawful Occupation of Land Act 19 of 1998, and with a possibility of an additional charge of contempt of court at the later stage, after the Makana municipality opened a case on Sunday afternoon. 'Police have activated members from Public Order Policing to monitor the situation.' The Herald
News24
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Roads prepped, talent unleashed: Makana Mayor welcomes National Arts Festival 2025
The National Arts Festival in Makhanda kicked off on 26 June with an opening ceremony. Despite issues with infrastructure and funding, the municipality and festival are confident about this year's edition. The festival runs from 26 to 6 July 2025 and offers more than 240 items on the programme. The National Arts Festival in Makhanda kicked off on 26 June with an opening ceremony on Thursday night. NAF, one of Africa's biggest arts festivals, runs from 26 June to 6 July and has more than 240 items on its programme, encompassing music, theatre, visual arts, film, comedy and more. Makana mayor Yandiswa Vara was one of the speakers at the opening ceremony and gave a media briefing earlier in the day about the town's readiness for the festival. The municipality has ensured that the roads are trafficable and that basic services such as water supply, sewer systems, street lighting, and road maintenance are operable. 'All of this ensures the festival can operate smoothly and sustainably while benefiting the local population,' she said. READ | Spark Hub ignites fresh talent: 14 Must-watch plays at National Arts Festival 2025 Despite experiencing a prolonged drought, Vara said that the town's water supply is stable, and steps are in place to ensure minimal interruptions. They cannot say that they have fully attended to all their water challenges, but they are actively addressing them. Vara said that Makhanda is more than 200 years old, which unfortunately speaks to their failing infrastructure. 'The capacity of our infrastructure has deteriorated. When it was built, it was for a certain population, but that population has grown now,' she said. Joel Ontong/News24 Joel Ontong/News24 They remain committed to tackling these ongoing issues and making sure communities don't suffer inconveniences like burst pipes. They have also repaired numerous roads in the town, which is known for its frequent pothole issues. Vandalism presents another problem for them and has led to issues with electrical supplies. On the importance of the festival, chairperson of the NAF board, Siphiwo Mahala, said at the media briefing: 'Year after year, artists lay bare their souls to us, creating a mirror to society and sharing experiences.' 'The festival is the antidote to indifference and apathy. In a world where people seem to care less and less, we invite our audiences to care more and to respond with conversation,' he added. NAF CEO Monica Newton commented on some of the festival's funding issues. Last year, the National Lottery Commission declined to provide funding for NAF, according to GroundUp. Standard Bank is still one of the event's sponsors, according to its website. The festival has also been impacted by the country's budget (which has gone through three iterations under the GNU), policy changes in the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture, and some of its other partners have also experienced budget cuts. 'We hope for the best. We plan with what we have, and we present a festival every year that we are exceptionally proud of,' Newton said. Joel Ontong/News24 Joel Ontong/News24 Later, at the official opening ceremony, which took place at the 1820 Settlers' National Monument, Vara opened the night on a sombre note, remembering the victims of the recent Eastern Cape floods. 'One of the most formidable natural disasters in the history of our country has struck in the past few weeks,' she said. She requested the audience to stand for a moment of silence to honour the flood victims. Focusing on the festival itself, Vara spoke about how it has changed over its 51 years of existence, having had different names and shifting audiences. 'But the essence of what the National Arts Festival is all about has not changed. The celebration of arts in all its forms and the recognition and expression of culture in different ways is still what makes this festival the National Arts Festival.' Despite the challenges and setbacks the festival and municipality face, the energy from the audience at the opening ceremony was buzzing. Before the evening started, Makhanda singer Loveseed put on a small concert as audiences took their seats. A few songs in, the lights in the venue went out briefly due to an interrupted electrical supply. This paused the performance, but her drummer kept the momentum going, making the crowd go wild, cheering and pulling out their phone lights in the dark hall. It's with that excitement that the attendees at this year's NAF are welcoming the major event.
