Ethekwini mayor Cyril Xaba. Photograph: Metropolis of eThekwini
eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Motion is outraged that officers within the cash-strapped metro spent hundreds on a three-night luxurious keep at a Drakensberg lodge this week to conduct municipal enterprise.
The motion’s chairperson, Asad Gaffar, stated it was “stunning” that municipal officers had indicated that they may solely work with out distraction within the consolation of the Drakensberg resort.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in eThekwini’s caucus chief Thabani Mthethwa condemned the choice by mayor Cyril Xaba and the municipality’s government committee to carry the technique and finances implementation session on the Champagne Sports activities Resort, about 220km from Durban.
Mthethwa stated town had deliberate to take an estimated 40 officers to the occasion, which was held from 10 to 13 March, and that officers would additionally most likely file claims for travelling bills.
As well as, town had employed a 16-seater minibus to move a number of the officers to the resort.
Commonplace marketed charges for company on the Champagne Sports activities Resort are R2 980 an evening per particular person for dinner mattress and breakfast, which quantities to R8 940 an individual for 3 days, totalling R357 600 for 40 folks, with out the price of a convention room, refreshments and lunch.
The town, whereas refusing to say how a lot it had paid for the three-night jaunt, stated it was a “blatant lie” that it had price that a lot, because it had obtained a “convention package deal” from the venue.
Mthethwa stated that incurring bills for a luxurious lodge keep was unacceptable, given town’s monetary issues.
“This as town faces mounting challenges, together with poor service supply. This extravagant spending of ratepayers’ cash is disgraceful,” he stated.
“At a time when eThekwini residents are fighting the failures of this administration, starting from inconsistent water and electrical energy provision to deteriorating infrastructure, the management has chosen to prioritise lavish retreats over addressing the true wants of the folks.”
The DA had proposed that the assembly be held in a less expensive location within the metropolis and the get together had determined to not go on the “luxurious tour”, he stated.
Gaffar stated that holding the assembly at a prime lodge was simply one other instance of metropolis officers losing taxpayers’ cash.
“Clearly, we’re not glad about it. It simply goes to indicate you the pointless, fruitless and wasteful expenditure,” he stated.
“The factor is, for those who’re saying you must [hold the meeting] with no interference, absolutely you possibly can obtain that right here in Durban, in any of your buildings? You don’t must go to a top-class resort to do this.
“They’re simply going to take a seat there. They received’t even put collectively a correct finances. They’ll simply go and have time and benefit from the meals — and we’re paying for it.”
Xaba’s spokesperson, Mluleki Mntungwa, stated the choice to carry the strategic finances and efficiency overview session had been taken by town’s government committee.
“It’s customary for the municipality to convene such an necessary planning session at a venue the place there might be minimal disruptions,” Mntungwa stated, however declined to reply to questions on how many individuals had attended the occasion and what the general price had been for ratepayers.
“This was a essential assembly because it sought to handle, among the many points, progress within the implementation of the built-in improvement plan, municipal efficiency, audit outcomes and plans to handle audit queries, income enhancement methods and finances efficiency.
“It’s a blatant lie that the municipality paid this quantity [R357 600] as we acquired a convention package deal, which is way under your acknowledged quantity,” he stated.