DURBAN - The eThekwini Ratepayers' Protest Movement has rejected the R11-million upgrade to Durban's International Convention Centre.
The move -- to urgently upgrade the toilets and other areas for the SADC summit in August -- relies on money redirected from other projects.
The eThekwini Municipality has not shared the specifics, but the plans reportedly include upgrading the toilets.
Ratepayers are not pleased.
"There's no planning that's taking place because, I mean, the ICC in itself should be undergoing regular maintenance. And had they been doing this, there wouldn't be a need for a reprioritisation of the budget," said Asad Gaffar from the eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement.
The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry believes a broader upgrade is needed.
" From a business point of view, for us to compete at an international level, to also, you know, compete for international conferences. Our conference centre needs to be up to date and it, it needs to be ready," said DCCI CEO Palesa Phili.
But the chamber doesn't agree with how the funds were sourced.
"The only challenge that we have as a Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry is how this came about. That the funding that came out from infrastructure, that the funding that is being used to upgrade the toilets came out from the infrastructure that was meant for other services, where we have challenges," Phili said.
The eThekwini Ratepayers' Protest Movement shares this sentiment.
"Our infrastructure is failing. I mean, we're talking water infrastructure. Eleven million is not enough, to be honest with you, but it is a start," Gaffar said.
"At least prioritise the water infrastructure in eThekwini to ensure that we don't have these bursts and that we are able to save this precious resource, which is water."
eNCA has reached out to the eThekwini Metro, and a response has been promised soon.
- eNCA's Dasen Thathiah reports.