Eastern Cape municipalities have been cautioned not to purchase materials, for the construction of infrastructure, from outside the country especially when that material is available in South Africa.

The Acting Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Appropriations Ndaba Gcwabaza told the Deputy Mayor of Alfred Nzo District Municipality Xolisile Mehlomakhulu and the officials of Mzimvubu Local Municipality, that this was unacceptable.

“Whether the material is expensive no one is allowed to cross the South African borders to get the material which is locally manufactured and available.

“That is an old gospel which is clearly spelt out in the National Development Plan and other very important South African policy documents,” Gcwabaza said.

Reasons for delay unacceptable

Gcwabaza was responding to officials of Mzimvubu Local Municipality and the National Department of Water Affairs who attributed the delay of the Mount Ayliff Bulk Water Supply Scheme to the purchasing and transportation of certain infrastructure pipes from China.

According to the officials, although these pipes were available in South Africa, they were expensive at the time of the launch of the water supply scheme.

Gcwabaza and other members of the Committee expressed their unhappiness to the Deputy Mayor and the officials of Mzimvubu Local Municipality and the Department of Water Affairs about the slow pace with which the Mount Ayliff Bulk Water Supply Scheme project is going.

They told the Deputy Mayor and other officials to accelerate the pace of delivery as the people’s patience is not elastic.

“The reasons for the delay you are putting before us are unacceptable and the conclusion we are jumping into is that you are covering up for other real reasons,” said Mr Gcwabaza. Asked about the completion of the project which started in 2012, the officials assured members of the Committee that it is going to be completed in April this year.