Africa: The IDP informs the Budget as the strategic Business plan towards the progression of the Municipality, which covers how the community and stakeholders’ groupings can anticipate the delivery of services from the Municipality over the next three to five years.
Regarding the Municipal Systems Act Chapter 4, the Municipality must consult and engage the community during the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) development.
The Amajuba District Municipality maintained its duty to account for the communities it serves during the 2023/24 IDP & Draft Budget Consultation roadshows held on the 11th and 17th of May, 2023.
Ambuja Cllr. uMntwana Ndabuko Zulu delivered the district’s consolidated draft budget framework, which speaks directly to the region’s needs and delivery challenges, under the theme “Sikhuphula Izinga Lokulethwa Kwentuthuko Emphakathini.
The IDP and Draft Budget have been modified with a focus on infrastructure development, notably in the provision of water and sanitation, to support the municipalities’ commitment to guaranteeing the delivery of high-quality and sustainable services.
Through an open participation platform that invited inputs and recommendations into the revision of the 2033/24 IDP & Budget, various service delivery concerns were submitted forward by community members.
The water scarcity affecting the region’s remote parts was a vigorously debated subject that dominated the consultation meetings. The Mayor dealt with the water shortages in Dannhauser and eMadlangeni by stating, “A total of two water tankers had been added to the existing municipal fleet, with the aim to alleviate the load in the rudimentary provision of water to our rural communities.”
Furthermore, the Mayor also revealed that the Municipality had prioritized the pertinent concerns, such as water provision, sanitation, disaster management, and youth development, in an effort to tackle the district’s immediate demands.
Community members were also given the opportunity to inquire at the accounts Helpdesk and further apply for the municipal incentive programs accessible to the indigent and those falling behind on their utility bills.
The Honourable Mayor applauded the members of the community for actively engaging in the Municipality’s decision-making process and assured them that their input would help shape the municipal Budget according to their needs.
