Buffalo City Metro is pinning its hopes on a “consortium of outside experts” to deal with the many challenges relating to infrastructure development and maintenance, which will cost a projected R25 million a year.
The official opposition in the Buffalo City Metro council wants its municipal public accounts committee boss sacked. DA chief whip Anathi Majeke last week filed a motion of no confidence against MPAC chair Sakhumzi Caga. The party wants Caga removed from his post over management of the affairs of the committee.
Buffalo City Metro’s Kiwane Beach Resort, which cost taxpayers more than R25m in upgrades, is operating at a loss and has failed to bring much-needed revenue for the city. The resort, which BCM said offered world-class accommodation, was officially launched in September 2019 by former mayor Xola Pakati.
Buffalo City Metro communities are beginning to feel the pain of the city’s spending cuts after it pulled the plug on its multimillion-rand ward-based projects. According to the ward allocation programmes report, seen by the Dispatch, 14 wards had not touched their millions by the time the freeze was implemented towards the end of 2023, while others managed to spend between R6,000 and R900,000 per ward.
Buffalo City Metro’s municipal public accounts committee a watchdog over the city’s finances has been questioned after it booked accommodation for councillors attending a meeting held at the East London ICC.At the heart of the queries was why councillors should be booked into a hotel to attend the three-day meeting when it was held in their hometown.