buDGET For 2016/17He said the priorities to be addressed during the 2016/17 fi nancial year include service delivery backlogs, human settlements, youth and women empowerment, economic growth and development, fi nancial sustainability, climate change and mitigation, water and drought challenges, access to public transport, human capital development, job creation, fi ghting diseases such as TB and HIV/AIds as well as creating a safer and socially cohesive City.He said the operating budget, which funds

the continued provision of services provided by the Municipality, increased from R30.1 billion in 2.14/15 to R33.1 billion in 2015/16. This amount will increase to R34.9 billion in 2016/17.Furthermore, R100 million has been

set for youth programmes, he said. This includes the artisans’ programme, which seeks to facilitate the training of 10 000 youth over three years as skilled artisans which will cost R471 million. The adopted expanded Public Works Programme which seeks to address unemployment and poverty alleviation has created over 11 000 work opportunities.nxumalo said with over 1 500 kilometres

of optic fi bre cables laid, free WiFi was available at all Municipal libraries. Before the end of June, the City expects to launch free WiFi in all the major townships, rural areas and areas around universities or where there is a high concentration of students, he said. The Municipality’s budget for the 2016/17

fi nancial year was approved by Council.

• 6.9 % for assessment rates;

• 12.5 % for residential water;

• 15.9 % for business water;

• 7.64 % for electricity charges;

• 9.9 % for sanitation and;

• 7.9 % for refuse removal.

TArIFF InCrEASES For THE 2016/17 FInAnCIAl yEAr ArE:

ETHEKWInIWEEKly bullETIn

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03 June 2016 [Issue 35]By 2030 eThekwini will be Africa’s most caring and liveable city

“keePInG YOu In THe knOW”

eTHeKWiNi’s R41.6BN 2016/17 FiNANCiAL YeAR BuDGeT ADOPTeD

ETHekWInI Municipality plans to step up efforts to bridge the gap between the rich and poor by creating sustainable economic

growth and development opportunities for the youth and women.Also high on the Municipality’s agenda

is to create an alternative agricultural value chain which will benefi t existing and emerging farmers, thus responding to issues of food security. delivering the City’s 2016/17 Budget

speech and service delivery track record over the past fi ve years to a packed auditorium at City Hall on 31 May 2016, Mayor James nxumalo said the City had moved from the Manase report to a clean audit achieved in the 2014/15 fi nancial year.“We are pleased that during our term

of offi ce we witnessed an upward trend in compliance with key legislation. A good example of this is that there are no councillors doing business with the City. We hope that this achievement will be carried through in the new administration,” said nxumalo. nxumalo also outlined the plans for the

City going forward including the catalytic projects that will transform the City’s landscape and promote future growth and development.The budget, covered the theme “together

advancing people’s power in eThekwini” - which effectively means empowering residents so that they are able to contribute to the mainstream economy and not be perpetually dependent on the state.He said the budget has grown from R31.7

billion in 2011 to R41.6 billion this year.

EThekwini Mayor James nxumalo delivered the City’s r41.6 billion 2016/17 budget speech and service delivery track record over the past fi ve years to a packed auditorium at City Hall on 31 May 2016.

2 eThekwini weekly BulleTin issue 35

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METRO POLICE FINE TRUCKS OPERATING ILLEGALLY

This week, Metro Police issued more than 170 traffic fines in the uThongathi, Verulam, Durban Central and Clairwood area during an enforcement operation targeting heavy duty vehicles.

This plan will look at all freight and logistics interventions which will be required for the next 20 years to manage and improve freight activity in the Municipal Area. One of the findings and

recommendations was the requirement to build the Cato

Ridge Intermodal Hub.It is envisaged that the

intermodal hub will be jointly planned, developed and operated by the City alongside a private operator. The plan suggested that further investigation be carried out to determine the ideal operating

model.To date, a stakeholder forum,

which all land owners in the area form part of, has formed. Maharaj said regular

enforcement would continue until all transgressors were brought to book.

CITY PRIORITISES COST CUTTING MEASURESTReMendOus progress has been made in cutting down on irregular and wasteful expenditure in the City over the past five years. This resulted in the City achieving a clean audit from the Auditor-General for the 2014/15 financial year. Further curtailments will be

made in the City following the adoption of the national Treasury Circular on cost containment measures. A report was laid before

the executive Committee on 30 May 2016, regarding

the Municipal Finance Management Act circular which has been issued to municipalities and municipal entities by national Treasury on cost containment measures that should be implemented to address the economic challenges the country is facing. These measures would serve to promote growth and address unemployment and equity.The measures include the

curtailment of overseas trips, the submission of strong

motivation to city managers and Mayors requesting permission to travel locally or abroad arguing the necessity of the trip as well as further restrictions on conferences, catering, entertainment and social functions. Other cost cutting measures

includes the limiting of hiring of external consultants and catering for meetings which should only be considered if meetings last for five hours or more. no team building or social functions will be

financed from Municipal budgets either. There will also be curtailing of local trips with the number of officials attending limited. The circular was welcomed by

the executive Committee. eThekwini Mayor James

nxumalo said while a number of these measures have been implemented already, the City could prioritise to further reduce costs. “This is a directive from national Government and serves as a guide to all of us,” he said.

MeTRO Police this week issued more than 170 traffic fines to trucks illegally using residential roads in the uThongathi, Verulam, durban Central and Clairwood area. Metro Police superintendent

Anand Maharaj said the war on illegal trucking comes after the City received an increasing number of reports from residents complaining about the health, safety and environmental impacts of trucks driving and operating in their neighbourhoods.Metro police heeded the

call and organised the blitz. Maharaj said the raid did not only target trucks parked or making use of residential roads illegally, but police also issued fines for other transgressions.“We looked at road worthiness,

such as whether the vehicle had oil leaks, defective hooters, unsecured loads and whether the driver was licensed,” he said.To further combat the issue,

the eThekwini Transport Authority has developed the ‘Integrated strategic Framework and Action Plan’ for the eThekwini Municipal Area.

issue 35 eThekwini weekly BulleTin 3

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sithole said the City looked forward to the Indaba as this year the durban Tourism was announced as the winners of the best stand catagory. The

CiTY’s CLeAN-AuDiT RePORT PROVes PRuDeNT FiNANCiAL MANAGeMeNT

EThekwini City Manager Sibusiso Sithole and his team receiving a clean audit report from the Auditor-General.

free of material misstatements. In addition there was no material of non-compliance with key legislation. The report further found that the City’s performance report was presented in a useful and reliable manner as measured against predetermined objectives in the annual performance plan. The Municipality has

previously received unqualified audit reports, however this

changed when it aimed and worked tirelessly towards achieving the clean audit.The report also found that

two Municipal entities, namely ushaka Marine World and the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre also received clean audits. These entities also achieved clean audits the previous financial year.“It is the first time since

eThekwini was established in

2000, that a clean audit has been achieved. It is a historic achievement and something to be very proud of. The City has worked hard to protect the public purse and is moving with speed to delivery services to communities,” said Mayor James nxumalo. The consolidated financial

performance indicators show that the Municipality is in a healthy fiscal position, which reflects the City’s strong commitment to the principles of accountability, transparency, anti-corruption, proper financial management and effective internal control systems. This achievement indicates

that the City’s leaders are practicing good governance and are appropriately using ratepayers’ funds. delivering the City’s 2016/17

R41.6 billion Budget speech and service delivery track record over the past five years to a packed auditorium at City Hall on 31 May 2016, nxumalo said the City had moved from the Manase report to a clean audit achieved in the 2014/15 financial year.

eTHekWInI Municipality welcomes the latest audit results for municipalities which found that for the first time in history, the Municipality has achieved a clean audit report.The audit report for the

2014/15 financial year was released in Pretoria on 1 June 2016, by Auditor-General kimi Makwetu. The report found that the

financial statements for eThekwini Municipality were

ETHEKWINI IS THE PROUD HOST OF THE TOURISM INDABA 2017sOuTH African Tourism has announced that in 2017, the Tourism Indaba will once again be hosted by the City of durban and province of kwaZulu-natal from 6 – 8 May. This comes after the City

recently staged the highly successful three-day long Tourism Indaba 2016 in May.durban Tourism Head Phillip

sithole said the City welcomes the decision.“due to the successful hosting

of prestigious events such as the Indaba, durban is speedily gaining popularity and the City’s vision, that by year

2020 we want to increase the number of tourists visiting the City from 3.5 million to over 5 million is becoming a reality,” said sithole

stand showcased an amazing and well-structured design.“durban’s stand design details

included a glass boardroom where meetings took place with curved cubicles which were utilised by nine Community Tourism Organisations (CTO’s) in selling local products,” sithole said.In a statement, sA Tourism

said they continued to rely on the innovative and passionate tourism industry to make the Indaba and other tourism calendar events successful and at world class level.

The City of Durban is the proud host of the Tourism Indaba 2017.

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Email: gugu.mbonambi@durban.gov.za

If you would like to submit feedback or contribute to eThekwini Weekly Bulletin

EDITorIAl TEAMEDITor: Tozi Mthethwa, Head of Communications • ConTEnT EDITor: Gugu sisilana

Sub-EDITor: nondumiso Mathomane • WrITErS: Charmel Payet and Princess nkabane

DESIGn AnD lAyouT: sandile sokhela

CITY TO STAGE SMART PROCUREMENT WORLD CONFERENCE

Speaker Logie Naidoo with eThekwini Municipality officials from the Supply Chain Management Unit and representatives from Smart Procurement World during a press briefing ahead of the start of the Smart Procurement World Conference next week.

BRIdGInG the gap between small and big businesses is paramount to the efforts of the eThekwini Municipality to ensure sustainable economic growth.To demonstrate the

Municipality’s committment, the City today, 3 June 2016, formally announced its partnership agreement with smart Procurement World kwaZulu-natal to host the first ever smart Procurement World Conference from 8 - 9 June 2016.The conference will take

place at durban’s Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre. during the official media

briefing this morning, the supply Chain Management unit highlighted the conference as an integral platform for business to grow in durban. deputy Head of supply

Chain Management sandile ngcobo said: “We are excited to be bringing a world class conference to durban. I have attended the conference before when it was hosted in other provinces and noted the benefits available both for the small business owners and also for our supply chain unit team.” The smart Procurement World

Conference is geared towards providing a business platform for small businesses to engage with supply chain heads, chief

buyers, procurement officers, supply chain managers, compliance managers and purchasing managers.Thabang Tshishonga,

Commercial Manager of smart Procurement World said the the conference has many facets to it in terms of activities. “We have the Procurement

Professional’s Conference, known as the smart Procurement World conference. Then there is the smart supplier Conference that focuses on enterprise supplier development, this is getting small business ready to engage large corporates through opportunities such as the speed networking with suppliers.”

Also expected to take place during the conference are the knowledge Hub sessions and the enterprise supplier development expo that offers the attending small, Medium and Micro enterprises the opportunity to showcase their services, products and offerings for procurement professionals to view. In attendance at the media

briefing were five entrepreneurs that are part of 40 small business owners that have been sponsored by the City to attend the enterprise supplier development expo and showcase their business at the expo.