Durban — The eThekwini Municipality has spent R15 million on a changeroom and the digging of trenches for the Inanda pool, north of Durban.
The City estimated they needed a further R80m to complete the pool. The project commenced in February 2016 but to date only the changeroom and the structure for a pump room were built, and three trenches dug in the soil for the main and paddling pools.
This was contained in a Community and Emergency Services Committee (CESC) report on the status of eThekwini swimming pools that was requested by DA councillor Remona Mckenzie.
Last week Mckenzie and councillor Sithembiso Ngema conducted an in loco inspection of the Inanda pool site.
Mckenzie’s investigations revealed that the pool layout plan had not been followed which led to it being dug out incorrectly. She said the deep and shallow ends were on the wrong sides. Mckenzie said the changeroom interior was incomplete and the roof was allegedly put on the wrong way. The City has now taken the contractor to court over the incomplete job.
Mckenzie found Rottweilers on site guarding different sections. The security guards did not have toilet facilities and the fencing had been damaged.
“They needed about R40 million to build the pool but somehow the amount ballooned to R80 million. The shortterm plan was to build the main pool and later when the money is available to build the paddling pools,” she said.
Mckenzie said there was too much outsourcing of work and money spent on consultants. Mckenzie said the line departments were supposed to oversee the project but that did not happen.
The municipality has 53 swimming pools. The City announced on Saturday that some pools had been reopened as the festive season draws closer.
The turnaround strategy for the municipality’s pools section needs millions of rand to go ahead, and this was laid bare at a recent full council sitting after a visit by the City’s leadership to central coastal pools.
The report stated that there was a lack of money for the repairs of pools, the security budget was inadequate to deploy sufficient guards to control vandalism at certain facilities and critical vacancies for pool supervisors needed to be filled.
Recommendations in the report state that a specialised panel of experts to rehabilitate pools must be engaged with. It also recommends that critical budgets such as maintenance, seasonal recruitment, security and overtime should not be reduced in future as they have a direct impact on the operations and provision of service delivery.
The report states that R35m is needed for Rachel Finlayson Pool on the Durban beachfront to upgrade the filtration, change rooms and redesigning.
Mckenzie also touched on the state of Dakota Beach in Isipingo which was in need of R15 000 to fix pipework but instead is now costing the City millions to repair because the delay led to vandalism and the theft of equipment and items from the pump station.
Mckenzie said municipal swimming pools were non-operational, and that prioritising repairs was imperative because residents needed decent swimming facilities.
“Residents are yet again robbed of enjoying facilities over the festive season,” she said.
Daily News
