Bcm Da News Today

Buffalo City Metro’s financial woes have compromised its operations and put critical services at risk.The city is so cash-strapped that, according to sources, transactions on its petrol cards used by some traffic officers have been rejected in recent weeks, with no remaining credit at some filling stations because of unpaid bills.

Buffalo City Metro’s staff owe the city R12.7m in rates arrears, while the city’s councillors are in arrears to the tune of R112,200. Now the city, facing dwindling cash reserves due to poor revenue collection, has announced measures to clamp down on people who do not pay their rates.

Buffalo City Metro, desperate to solve its cash flow problems, wants either the provincial or national government to reimburse it for millions it spent upgrading Settlers Way from the Fleet Street police station to King Phalo Airport.But both the provincial and national governments said the R72 stretch in question did not belong to them and they had no agreements with the city before the upgrade.

Residents have accused Buffalo City of ignoring court orders to repair the metro’s sewerage infrastructure which is destroying the Nahoon River.

East London businesses and residents are outraged by a push from Buffalo City Metro to get them to foot the bill for damage to electricity infrastructure caused by vandals and thieves

Buffalo City Metro has set up a “special team” to probe why the city continues to force ratepayers to pay their queried municipal bills while it is unable to resolve the queries.

BCM’s billing troubles are a nightmare its residents wish to leave behind going into 2023 but it seems the problems will remain well into the new year. As Buffalo City Metro battled financial problems in 2022, begging ratepayers to pay their municipal accounts which were in arrears, it seems its incorrect billing issues are far from over.

Allegations that Buffalo City Metro mayor Xola Pakati used city resources to have his driveway and the road leading up to it resurfaced, turned out to be a storm in a teacup when the private contractor who did the job revealed that the mayor had personally paid for driveway repairs, once the crew had completed the road repairs.

BCM DA ward 28 councillor Frederick Pohl has criticised the city for spending large amounts of money on a fencing project on “the road to nowhere” in Quenera Drive in Beacon Bay, while “neglecting road and sewerage” maintenance. In a video on his Facebook page, Pohl said: “BCM has appointed a contractor to install clear-view fencing around the road to nowhere.

Eastern Cape co-operative governance and traditional affairs​ (Cogta) MEC Zolile Williams has condemned the latest attack on Buffalo City Metro infrastructure director and acting city manager Nceba Ncunyana. Ncunyana was shot several times as he approached his home on Friday afternoon. A picture circulating on social media showed that the car was riddled with about 20 bullet holes.