Friday, 27 January 2012

City borrows to fund projects

The City of uMhlathuze will seek independent opinion on its financial position and ability to take up current and future loans for capital funding. This comes as Council has taken a principle decision to borrow R58-million to a maximum of R78-million to finance various capital projects for the 2011/2012 financial year. The Capital budget was approved by the City Council in May last year and supported by the National Treasury. For the past two financial years, long term loans were not taken by Council.

However, at the City’s Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday, it was noted that the municipality could not continue into the future without addressing the refurbishment of existing old infrastructure and the replacement of old plant and equipment. The Chief Financial Officer proposed that an independent consultant be engaged to review Council’s borrowing potential over the next five years.

Capital projects for 2011/2012 include:
• Upgrade of waste management depot and offices in Empangeni
• Upgrade of ablution facilities at Mechanical Workshop
• Streets and Stormwater
• Civil Services (Ngwelezane and eSikhaleni)
• Central Sports grounds high mast lighting
• eSikhaleni
• Rural sanitation
• Replacement of pipes
• Mzingazi Village Sewer Project
• Mandlazini Village sanitation
• Emergency pipeline to Lake Qubu
• Replacement of street lights - Empangeni and Brackenham
• Street lighting - Empangeni Main Road intersections
• Upgrading macerator stations
• Refurbishment
• Pump station - Electrical
• Pump station upgrade - Meerensee
• Upgrading of telemetry
• Central Industrial area
• Waterfront development
• Mandlazini Agri-Village
• Mzingazi Village
• Water meters - rural areas
• Rural areas - Dube · Tribal Area North Bulk Water Supply Line
• Rural areas - Mkhwanazi North Phase 5 Water Supply
• Minisub Load monitoring
• Installation Risi locking mechanisms 200 miniature substation primary and secondary doors
• Replace LV 185mm ring cable - Veldenvlei
• Replacement of meters
• Electricity supply - 132kV supply to Cygnus Substation
• Electricity supply - uMhlathuze Village Electrification
• Electricity supply - Alton North
• Phoenix supply to Alton Phase 1
• Electricity system reinforcements
• uThungulu/uMhlathuze separation eNseleni Reservoir Site
• Reservoirs - Structure Repairs
• Water network improvements - Richards Bay, Empangeni, R293 towns
• Domestic meter replacements
• Bulk water main improvements
• Online meters effluent quality monitoring meters
• Laboratory equipment
• Bulk water master plan
• Water loss intervention
• Mech lift 220 mechanism
• 10x20m³ Rotopress refuse trucks
• Replacement ride-on mowers and slasher lawnmowers
• IT infrastructure

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