Apart from commending community members for their participation in budget hearings that took place in different zones over the past weekend, the eThekwini Executive Committee (EXCO) also highlighted the city’s contributions to countering climate change – by using bicycles as an alternate means of transport.

While the Municipality is presently holding a public consultation process on the Draft 2013/2014 Budget, when the eThekwini EXCO met at the City Hall on Tuesday, 23/04/13 this was also an opportunity for the team to note and commend the implementation of the Staff Bicycle Project, which focuses mainly on encouraging Municipal staff to utilise bicycles when commuting between different buildings in the City.

This is part of the City’s climate change mitigation strategy which encourages the use of non-motorised transportation. Central to the project is the 294 bicycles that were donated by the United Nations to the Municipality for the COP 17 conference which are to be deployed for use by staff.

Although the eThekwini EXCO welcomed the initiative, they also further urged that this be extended to Councillors, and more specifically initially to those in the Executive Committee.

“This initiative is also a better way of encouraging a healthy lifestyle. As Councillors we must take the lead by making time to cycle as often as possible,” said Mayor James Nxumalo.