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IOL News
11-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
eThekwini Municipality in clash with company over parking meters contract
There is a dispute between the eThekwini Municipality and a company over the contract for the parking meters in the Durban CBD. Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers The company currently managing parking meters in the Durban city centre is locked in a bitter dispute with the eThekwini Municipality over its operations, as the City says there has been no valid contract in place since the end of 2017. Emtateni Logistics, however, says that it is a recognised service provider to the municipality and continues to submit reports to the City every month, which is part of the agreement it has. In addition, Emtateni Logistics accused the City of failing to fulfil some of its obligations regarding the operations of the meters, which has led to the severe decline in parking revenue. The company was founded by the late Prince Sifiso Zulu but entered business rescue and was liquidated in 2013. Cindy Naicker came in as the business rescue practitioner, appointed by the liquidators, to administer the trading and operations of the company. The Mercury has seen recent letters exchanged between the City and the company regarding the contractual relationship. In one letter, city manager Musa Mbhele sets out the history of the contract and states that none has been in place since the end of 2017. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading He further warned of legal consequences if the company continued to operate. 'eThekwini Municipality gave you permission to continue rendering Parking Control System services in terms of an agreement it had with Emtateni Logistics (Pty) Ltd until 30 June 2014. This was extended on various occasions, with the last extension ending on 31 December 2017. 'The agreement to render the Parking Control System services lapsed due to the effluxion of time. You, however, continued to collect money from the parking meters unlawfully, without a valid contract or authorisation, and have failed to pay the same over to the municipality. 'The above-mentioned conduct is not only unlawful but may amount to unlawful misappropriation of public funds. We reserve our right to report the same to the relevant authorities for further investigation and action." In the company's response, penned by Naicker, she argued that a 'valid and binding contractual agreement currently exists between Emtateni Logistics (Pty) Ltd., trading in liquidation and the eThekwini Municipality for the existing parking management'. She added that in terms of the contract, there had been lawful collection of public funds and in addition, there was money owed to the company in terms of the contract. 'We have consistently met our contractual obligations with unwavering commitment, ensuring the effective delivery of the parking management system through our skilled workforce. Our commitment to providing an interim parking solution remains operational and is acknowledged daily,' Naicker said. Naicker told The Mercury that the dispute was costing the City millions of rand in potential revenue. She said the company has for years been kept on a month-to-month contract by the municipality, which has made it impossible to invest in the necessary infrastructure. She said the month-to-month contract came into place after the company entered business rescue, and it was to run until a new tender for operating the meters was finalised. She added that several attempts to finalise the meter tender have failed, leaving the company to continue working under this uncertain arrangement. 'We have continued to produce reports every month (for) the municipality. Over the years, I estimate that the municipality has lost close to R300 million in potential revenue because of this (situation) and has suffered a significant loss in reputation,' Naicker said. Naicker said the City was supposed to provide around 50 officers to monitor the parking meters when they were operational; however, they were withdrawn and this led to illegal car guards entering the scene and tampering with the tickets. She added that the meters have also been vandalised, leading to a decline in payments due to their non-functionality. In response to questions, municipal spokesperson Gugu Sisilana stated that there is no valid contract between the City and the company.
The Citizen
03-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
KwaDukuza municipality employees to strike on Monday over salary complaints
KwaDukuza municipality employees to strike on Monday over salary complaints KwaDukuza municipality (KDM) staff aligned to the South African Municipal Workers' Union will strike from 8am-4pm on Monday. According to a statement released by the union, the strike is being held because of salary complaints, particularly what they deem unfair grading. Salary grading is a system that decides municipal pay scales based on the population size and revenue of a given municipality. There are six grades in total. 'We will not be bullied or coerced into abandoning our fight for fair treatment and correct salary alignment,' said the union. 'All we are demanding is that the municipality honours the 2020 council resolution and commitment to align all employee salaries with Grade 5, just as they have already done for senior staff.' KDM spokesperson Sifiso Zulu said the municipality received notice of the peaceful picket. 'Essential services including fire, emergency, lifeguard, waste management, disaster management, electrical and community safety will continue as normal,' he said. 'All employees have been cautioned to observe picketing rules issued by the commissioner as the breach of those may have negative legal implications. The 'No Work, No Pay' principle will apply as appropriated by the Labour Relations Act.' Zulu said that the union's demands fell outside of national collective bargaining processes and that the decision was the jurisdiction of the South African Local Government Bargaining Council. The majority of the strike action will be focused in KwaDukuza at the following locations: 36 Chief Albert Luthuli Street. Corner Chief Albert Luthuli and King Shaka Streets. Corner of Mahatma Gandhi and Gizenga Streets. Corner of King Shaka Street and Chota Road. Outside the municipal building at Industrial Crescent. The final strike location will be outside KDM's Nokukhanya Luthuli House at 10 Leonora Drive in Ballito. Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news. Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here or if you're on desktop, scan the QR code below. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
TimesLIVE
25-04-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
KwaDukuza mayor too sick to attend budget imbizo
KwaZulu-Natal north coast residents came out in their numbers to demand answers from the KwaDukuza district municipality and oppose a rates hike at a budget imbizo on Thursday night but the mayor and municipal manager were a no-show. Residents from greater Ballito, Salt Rock, Sheffield Beach and Shakas Rock packed the hall at Umhlali Prep School to raise concerns about the 9.33% rates increase, power outages and abuse of municipal resources. On Friday KwaDukuza municipal spokesperson Sifiso Zulu said mayor Muzi 'Ali' Ngidi was booked off sick. 'Yesterday [Thursday] KwaDukuza municipality had its ordinary council meeting. The mayor had to leave the meeting just before it was adjourned to consult his physician. He was then booked off and, therefore, requested the deputy mayor to represent him at the imbizo,' he said. The mayor came under fire recently when it emerged the municipality was paying more than R173,000 a month for private security at his personal residence.
