Durban: The eThekwini Municipality has approved the reallocation of R2 million within its water and sanitation capital budget for the 2024/25 financial year to address ongoing water supply challenges in the northern parts of the city, particularly affecting Verulam and its surrounding areas. The decision was made during the City’s Executive Committee (EXCO) meeting held on Tuesday.
According to South African Government News Agency, the council announced that the funds will be reallocated from the Pinkney Park project to the ‘Hazelmere to Grange’ Reservoir pipeline project. The Pinkney Park initiative has faced delays due to insufficient funding in the approved budgets for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years. The municipality stressed that the Hazelmere to Grange Reservoir pipeline project, an ongoing initiative, is in urgent need of an additional R2 million to ensure its completion in the current financial year.
The council noted that construction on the pipeline project had stalled as the allocated funds had been depleted. The additional funding is expected to provide much-needed relief to communities in the northern areas of the city that have been experiencing water shortages. The water issues have been exacerbated by recurring flood disasters that have impacted the region in recent years.
In a related development, the Executive Committee also sanctioned an additional R3 million for the urgent replacement of the furnace at the oThongathi Crematorium. This follows an initial allocation of R5 million in the city’s adjustment budget, bringing the total investment to R8 million. eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba highlighted the city’s commitment to ensuring access to cremation services for residents in the northern region.
Mayor Xaba expressed satisfaction with EXCO’s swift response to the urgent matter, acknowledging that the furnace failure had left many families without access to cremation services. The additional funding aims to expedite the replacement process and restore this essential service. The current cremator, which has been operational for many years, experienced repeated breakdowns before its complete failure on 24 January 2025, prompting a technical assessment that confirmed the need for a full replacement.
To expedite the project, the Parks, Recreation and Culture Unit identified savings within its capital budget to cover the R3 million shortfall. The municipality will now proceed with appointing a South African-based service provider to manufacture, construct, and install the new furnace, which will come with a 12-month warranty and potential maintenance support for two additional years.
Mayor Xaba reiterated the city’s commitment to providing dignified and efficient services, acknowledging the cultural and religious significance of cremation for many communities. The reprioritisation of funds underscores the city’s dedication to ensuring that essential municipal services are accessible to all residents. Xaba assured continuous updates to the community as the project progresses, with the objective of restoring full operations at the crematorium within the current financial year.