Isabelomali esihlongozwayo sika-2026/2027 soMasipala wesiFunda iLembe asigxili kuphela ekuphathweni kwemali, kodwa sibonakala njengomzamo wokulungisa izinkinga ezihlasele imiphakathi iminyaka, ikakhulukazi udaba lokungatholakali kwamanzi ngendlela efanele.

Ubuholi bukaMasipala wesiFunda, ngokubambisana noMasipala waKwaDukuza, buphothule imihlangano yokubonisana nomphakathi eMadundube naseGlendale Phakathi nenyanga, lapho kuvezwe khona izinhlelo zokusetshenziswa kwesabelomali nokuthi singaba nomthelela kanjani ekuthuthukiseni impilo yabantu.

Isekela likaMeya woMasipala wesiFunda iLembe, uMnuz James van Whye, lethule isabelomali sokusebenza esihlongozwayo sika-R1.9 bilioni, esihloswe ukwakha isifunda esikwazi ukumelana nezinselelo zesikhathi esizayo.

Nokho, udaba olugqame kakhulu phakathi kwezingxoxo kube yisikhalo sabahlali base-eNsikeni kuWadi 27, abathi sekuphele cishe iminyaka emihlanu bebhekene nenkinga yokungabi namanzi anele. Abanye bathe lokhu sekuphazamise impilo yabo yansuku zonke futhi kubashiya bezizwa benganakiwe.

Ubuholi buvumile ukuthi kunobunzima ekuphakelweni kwamanzi kule ndawo futhi bathembisa ukuthi kuzobekwa uhlelo oluphuthumayo lokubhekana nale nkinga. Kuphinde kwathembiswa ukuthi kuzobuyelwa emphakathini ukuze izingxoxo ziqhubeke njengoba kufunwa izixazululo zesikhathi eside.

Ngesikhathi esifanayo, uMasipala ubhekane nezinsolo zokuthi kukhona abasebenzi abasolwa ngokwenza inkohlakalo ngokudayisa amanzi. Kuphinde kwaqinisekiswa ukuthi noma ngubani ozotholakala enecala uzobhekana nezinyathelo eziqinile zokuqondiswa izigwegwe.

Ukuze kuvalwe izikhala zengqalasizinda futhi kuthuthukiswe ukusebenza kwezinhlelo zamanzi, kuhlongozwe ukukhushulwa kwentela ngamaphesenti ayi-13. NgokoMasipala, lokhu kuzokwenza kube lula ukubhekana nengcindezi ekhona, ikakhulukazi KwaDukuza lapho isidingo samanzi sesidlula kakhulu umthamo okhona.

Imali kulindeleke ukuthi iphinde isetshenziswe ezinhlelweni zesikhathi eside zokwandisa ukutholakala kwamanzi, okubalwa kuzo Hazelmere Dam, uhlelo lwe-uMvoti Water, indawo yokuhlanza amanzi eLower Thukela, imithombo yamanzi kanye nokusetshenziswa kwamaloli amanzi ezindaweni ezisabhekene nezinselelo.

Ngaphandle kokugxila engqalasizindeni, lesi sabelomali siphinde sibheke ukuvikela imindeni edonsa kanzima. Imizi ebhaliswe njengedinga usizo futhi ehola ngaphansi kuka-R5,000 ngenyanga izoqhubeka nokuthola ama-kilolitre ayi-10 okuqala amanzi mahhala. Izinhlangano ezingenzi nzuzo nezindawo zokukhonza nazo kulindeleke ukuthi zithole ukukhululeka ezindlekweni zokuthuthwa kwendle ukuze kuqhubeke umsebenzi wazo wokweseka umphakathi.

Ubuholi bukaMasipala buthi imibono eqoqwe emihlanganweni yokubonisana izosetshenziswa ekulungiseni isabelomali ngaphambi kokuba samukelwe ngokusemthethweni. Kubantu abaningi, impumelelo yalolu hlelo ngeke ibonakale ngamazwi kuphela, kodwa ngokuthi izinkinga ezinjengamanzi zizogcina zithole izixazululo ezibonakalayo yini.