Rhodes University's planned R174m upgrade and the R500m Belmont Valley development could be stalled if the municipality passes a proposed ban on new building developments in Grahamstown due to insufficient infrastructure.
Rhodes University's planned R174m upgrade and the R500m Belmont Valley development could be stalled if the municipality passes a proposed ban on new building developments in Grahamstown due to insufficient infrastructure.
The moratorium, as well as water restrictions, are radical measures being proposed as Makana Municipality struggles to pin down funding to upgrade its decaying infrastructure. "[Under]capacity, ageing infrastructure and lack of funding could lead to drastic actions," Technical and Infrastructure director Thembinkosi Myalato told Grocott's Mail this week.
"We may have to introduce water restrictions and strict controls on the approval of new developments."
Speaking at a meeting of the portfolio committee for Infrastructural Development on Tuesday, he expressed grave concern about the growing pressure on Makana's infrastructure and warned that mushrooming development in the city could lead to disaster.
"The infrastructure is [already stretched beyond its capacity]and we have people complaining about a lot of things. Maybe we need a moratorium not to allow any more developments," Myalato said at Tuesday's meeting.
For example, Rhodes is planning a R174 million upgrade. Makana was growing fast and the water supply and sewerage system, in particular, would not cope. The infrastructure is ageing, and it cannot cope with the fast-growing community. Water-storage capacity was limited and the Belmont Valley sewerage works were already overloaded. Past practice had seen new developments approved, without matching them to infrastructure capacity, Myalato said, leaving the municipality with a serious problem.
"Upgrading of the infrastructure is key. If this problem is not sorted we will have to limit future developments in the CBD."
He proposed a moratorium on new developments in Makana until funding was available to upgrade the infrastructure.
Funding was being sought from the Department of Water Affairs, but Myalato also cited the non-payment of rates in Makana as a serious stumbling block. "Pay this [outstanding]R200 million in rates and we will never have a problem of infrastructure again," Myalato said.
Municipal spokesperson Mncedisi Boma confirmed yesterday that the municipality was considering a moratorium on development – but this would be a last resort should they not receive funding. Citing the new flats being built in town, Boma conceded that such a ban would be a harsh decision.
"[But] the institution needs to respond to the capacity [problems]and such developments will affect the infrastructure. We think it will create a disaster to do new developments," Boma said. Myalato said the upgrading of infrastructure would be prioritised during municipal budget adjustments next year.
