Eastern Cape Provincial Week Programme draws to a close

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

National Council of Provinces, Eastern Cape delegation leader, Mandla Rayi, says municipal debt in Nelson Mandela Bay is crippling the performance of the Metro and has a negative impact on the budget.

He added that business robberies of foreign owned shops in Port Elizabeth was a particular challenge.

As the NCOP Provincial Week Programme comes to an end, Rayi says main challenges include poverty, sanitation, housing and health services in the province.

He says the challenge of high vacancy rates in key posts within Buffalo City Metro had a subsequent negative impact on service delivery.

He singled out Amathole District Municipality as among the best performing municipalities and one which has received a clean audit.

"The issues that remain clear particularly in the eastern part of the province, are lack of available resources with regards to health services. We have made a recommendation, a final report will be tabled in the Eastern Cape Legislature and a special sitting will take place on Tuesday." says Rayi.