No offense to the person who comes up with these blog topics – “But who comes up with this stuff?!!!”
I think I may have nodded off between the words “Municipalities” and “ease” but luckily for you I am a master of skim reading, so what I took from this topic is, they want me to tell you who is the best in the land! (KZN)…
so that is what I’m gonna give you:)
Buckle up, this should be riveting!!!
Let’s begin by giving you a comprehensive list of the District and Local Municipalities in KZN – (Knock yourself out!)
OK so what I thought I would do is start by throwing them all into a pit – a dog fight if you must and see who are the “Big Spenders”
Criteria: Developments R100 Million + and from stages of Conceptual through to Underway. (Information compiled from Leads 2 Business)
Lets do this!
Conceptual – Procedural: And straight out the gate well we have some contenders!
Technology Hub Pietermaritzburg Airport – Msunduzi Local Municipality (Pietermaritzburg)
New Central Library in Durban – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Ok….so far we have a tie but I’m not worried yet, its still very early in the game…..Next is…..
Design:
Right of Way from the Piesang River to Malandela Intersection – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Msunduzi Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network IRPTN – Msunduzi Local Municipality (Pietermaritzburg)
I’m sensing a pattern here…..
Tender:
Moses Mabhida Road Upgrade Km 88 to 103 – Msunduzi Local Municipality (Pietermaritzburg)
And finally someone takes the lead!! – Way-to-Go PMB!
Awarded: And it looks like we have some new contenders!! Welcome Ixopo & Escort !!!!
Buhlebethu Community Housing – Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality (Ixopo)
Jika Joe LowCost Development Infrastructure – Msunduzi Local Municipality (Pietermaritzburg)
Paapkuilsfontein Housing Stages 1 2 and 3 Infrastructure – Umtshezi Local Municipality (Escort)
And then our last category but most definitely not the least and where I suspect the “Big Spender” will be revealed…
Underway:
Usuthu Water Purification Plant – Zululand District Municipality (Ulundi)
Hilton Water Reticulation Replacement – Umgungundlovu District Municipality (Hilton)
City Fleet Redevelopment Phase 1 – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Right of Way from Bridge City to Proposed Bus Depot – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Ntuzuma D Phase 2 and 3 Housing Project – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Right of Way Lanes in Anderson Road – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Right of Way Lanes in Beviss Road Qashana Khuzwayo Road – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Right of Way along MR577 Inanda Malandela Intersection to Umgeni Viaduct – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Right of Way lane Along MR577 M25 to InandaMalandela Intersection – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Umshwathi Municipality Slums Clearance Project Services and Infrastructure – uMshwathi Local Municipality (New Hanover)
Western Aqueduct – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)
Whoop! Whoop! to our Big Spender eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban)!!!
Ok so that’s settled, but let’s not count out the rest of the province just yet, let’s lower the bar a little and open the “ring” as it were and find out who exactly is putting out volume in terms of tenders…..
(Please be advised that these figures are ever changing and are taken from the day I composed this blog post and not necessary the moment you read it 😉 also I took this information from the Leads 2 Business website, which is focused on the Construction and related industries – for the current up to date figures, feel free to subscribe to Leads 2 Business http://www.L2B.co.za )
Criteria: Number of Live Tenders in each region
And the results are:
eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban) – 30
Okhahlamba Municipality (Bergville) – 18
uMzimkhulu Municipality (uMzimkhulu) – 9
uThungulu District Municipality (Richards Bay) – 8
uBuhlebezwe Municipality (Ixopo) – 7
uMhlabuyalingana Municipality (Kwangwanase) – 5
Nquthu Municipality (Nquthu) – 5
uMngeni Municipality (Howick) – 4
Zululand District Municipality (Ulundi) – 4
Hibiscus Coast Local Municipality (Port Shepstone) – 4
Emnambithi / Ladysmith Municipality (Ladysmith) – 4
Richmond Municipality (Richmond) – 3
The Msunduzi Municipality (Pietermaritzburg) – 2
Dannhauser Local Municipality (Dannhauser) – 2
Umgungundlovu District Municipality (Hilton) – 2
Nongoma Local Municipality (Nongama) – 2
uPhongolo Local Municipality (Pongola) – 2
Jozini Municipality (Jozini) – 2
Ndwedwe Local Municipality (Stanger) – 1
Mkhambathini Municipality (Camperdown) – 1
Ntambanana Municipality (Empangeni) – 1
Mtubatuba Municipality (Mtubatuba) – 1
Maphumulo Local Municipality (Maphumulo) – 1
Big 5 False Bay Municipality (Hluhluwe) – 1
Newcastle Municipality (New Castle) – 1
Mandeni Municipality (Mandeni) – 1
Endumeni Municipality (Dundee) – 1
So there we have it folks, no big surprise with the 1st place winner eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban) considering it is the largest of all the Municipalities, but the number two spot I was sure would go to The Msunduzi Municipality (Pietermaritzburg), but no, this went to the little town of Bergville!!! Well Done Bergville!
Now lets get down to the nitty-gritty – ease of contact…..
I’m not sure how many of you have had the pleasure of trying to call a Municipality…..but let me tell you, this can truly be the most frustrating exercise you will ever do…sober!
You either get cut off during transfer, left on hold for days or have the endless ringing, which you hold onto with every last strand of hope that someone, just anyone will pick that ringing phone up and put you out of your misery…. but no, you generally have to, just HAVE to, eventually take a toilet break, coffee break or just simply wash your now sticky sweaty phone holding hand!!!
And when you are back, it all starts again……
Now that I have explained how I feel about this, let me tell you that in the name of good “Journalism” I will take on the task and I will report back on each of the Local Municipalities, I will start by clicking though to their websites and see if those work, then I will call the prescribed contact numbers and see if those work and if so, how long does it take them to answer my call!
| Municipality | Website | Contact number | Ring Duration |
| ABAQULUSI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY (Vryheid) | Works | Works | 3Min2Sec |
| DANNHAUSER LOCAL MUNICIPALITY (Dannhauser) | Works | Works | 15Sec |
| EDUMBE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Constantly Engaged | |
| EMNAMBITHI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 8Sec |
| MANDINI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 3Sec |
| ENDUMENI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 20Sec |
| GREATER KOKSTAD LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 1Min & Disconnected |
| HIBISCUS COAST LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 12Sec |
| HLABISA , IMPALA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Doesn’t Work | Works | 50Sec |
| IMBABAZANE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 16Sec |
| IMPENDLE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 1Min50Sec & Disconnected |
| INDAKA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 14Sec |
| INGWE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | I gave up after 3Min |
| EZINQOLENI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Doesn’t Work | Works | I gave up after 3Min |
| JOZINI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 1Min51Sec |
| KWA SANI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 40Sec |
| KWADUKUZA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 3Sec |
| MAPHUMULO LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 23Sec & Disconnected |
| MFOLOZI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | I gave up after 3Min |
| MKHAMBATHINI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | I gave up after 3Min |
| MPOFANA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 18Sec |
| MSINGA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 3Sec |
| MSUNDUZI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 19Sec |
| MTHONJANENI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 6Sec |
| MTUBATUBA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | I gave up after 3Min |
| NDWEDWE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | I gave up after 3Min |
| NEWCASTLE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 1Min4Sec |
| NKANDLA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 8Sec |
| NONGOMA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 9Sec & Disconnected |
| NQUTHU LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 6Sec |
| NTAMBANANA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 18Sec |
| OKHAHLAMBA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 8Sec |
| RICHMOND LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Doesn’t Work | Works | I gave up after 3Min |
| THE BIG FIVE FALSE BAY LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 5Sec |
| UBUHLEBEZWE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 14Sec |
| ULUNDI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 6Sec |
| UMDONI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 9Sec |
| UMHLABUYALINGANA LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | I gave up after 3Min |
| UMHLATHUZE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 5Sec |
| UMLALAZI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 14Sec |
| UMNGENI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | I gave up after 3Min |
| UMTSHEZI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 36Sec |
| UMUZIWABANTU LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 19Sec |
| UMVOTI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 1Min & Disconnected |
| UMZIMKULU LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 5Sec |
| UMZUMBE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 10Sec |
| UPHONGOLO LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 5Sec |
| EMADLANGENI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 4Sec |
| VULAMEHLO LOCAL MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 6Sec |
| ETHEKWINI METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY | Works | Works | 27Sec |
And I’m Done!!!Now just so you know, I only called the switchboard of each of these and I didn’t try connecting with anyone in Procurement #NotCrazy, so the numbers look a little better than what I’m sure you were expecting after my earlier “rant”, however I would like to add that anything after 10seconds is far too long!
But after all is said and done, I realise I can no longer generalise about the efficiency of the Municipalities in KZN, there were some clear “Ball Droppers” during this exercise and, well, the rest weren’t all that bad:)
So there are the facts people – I personally find it hard to pit these guys up against each other over procurement as such, purely because of the vast differences in size of their regions etc. but I gave it a good shot;)
Where I think the real measure would be found, is in their capabilities in terms of service delivery……hmmmmmmm
But that’s another topic for another day!
So, until next time 😉
About Sherina Shawe
I am a strong believer in "What you put in , is what you will get out" and this drives me every day, whether it's at home with my gorgeous family or at work where I get to fuel my competitive spirit. I love who I am and who I'm becoming. I love where I am , but more importantly where I'm going.... #EternalOptimist #Aspire2Inspire
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