According to the recent budget speech delivered by the Metro’s executive mayor, Mxolisi Siyonzana, the contracted service's budget has increased by more than R26 million.

The contractors that will be appointed will cater for the picking-up of litter; street cleaning; maintenance of parks; tree cutting; repairs and maintenance of roads. Unblocking of sewers will also be given attention by the contractors.

Siyonzana also stated that they have previously been questioned relating to the bidding processes and quality of work, and they will not continue to do business with service providers who give sub-standard services.

He further stated that there should be quality assurance and value for money in whatever services are being rendered. In the current financial year, the priorities of the council that have been allocated millions include:

• R10 Million for maintenance of parks, entrances, and felling of trees reserved for local SMMEs.

• R21 million for sustainable refuse removal solutions reserved for SMMEs, these include door-to-door refuse collection, litter picking, and street-cleaning.

• R29 million has been allocated for maintenance addressing potholes, re-graveling of streets, and cleaning of storm-water channels.

• R46 million has been allocated for effective fleet management solutions

•R21 million has been allocated for the maintenance of vehicles.

•R20 million has been allocated for the improvement of revenue collection and enhancement strategies, including valuation roll.
 
• R30 million has been allocated for renovations and repair of municipal facilities.

• R46 million has been allocated to address water leakages and losses.

• R13 million has been allocated for land and availability of sites.

All of the above repairs and maintenance costs have been projected to cost over R517 million.

Siyonzana further explained that it is risky and expensive to drive on the roads in Mangaung. “I took a tour around the city and was left astonished,” he said. They have taken a decision to fast-track the implementation of the Road Asset Management Plan. An amount of R82.8 has been set aside for upgrading of roads including resealing.

He expressed that another major crisis facing residents of the metro is raw sewerage spillage, and this robs the people the right to clean and healthy environment.

In addition to the R49 million that has been allocated for maintenance of sewer reticulation infrastructure, an amount of R89 million has been allocated for sewer infrastructure upgrade.

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