Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip has listed a number of priorities for his first days in office at a heated council meeting which saw the ANC and DA butting heads over the water restrictions‚ rules of council and finger-pointing.Trollip’s priorities include hiring a permanent municipal manager and executive directors for safety and security and electricity and energy‚ as well as making a decision over the city’s beleagured IPTS bus system.“In terms of the IPTS we must make decisions on its continuation. We will need to source budget through roll over allocations‚ identify routes‚ finalise a memorandum of understanding with stakeholders to ensure the currency of mandates and routes.“With increasing traffic pressures and issues around access to public transport‚ transport continues to be a significant challenge for our community and this Metro.”Trollip also spoke about the city’s massive water leaks crisis‚ which sees hundreds of millions of rand lost annually due to water losses‚ saying more money had to be allocated toward constructing new infrastructure as opposed to repairing infrastructure.He said residents had to reduce their water usage by at least 15%‚ with softer restrictions - which means that watering gardens‚ plants‚ golf greens and sports fields and washing vehicles with a hose pipe is banned – coming into effect on Wednesday.“We are a water-scarce city. 42% losses cannot continue. We must synchronise ‘war on leaks’ with ongoing training of plumbers and immediate deployment of plumbers into worst affected areas.“Plumbers must be excellently managed to control leaks and maintain our infrastructure.“Major leaks and antiquated bulk infrastructure must be evaluated and prioritisation of repairs must be rolled out.“Best practice principles must be applied with maintenance and new construction at 60% and repair at 40% of budget.“Continued over extraction of this precious resource will have a huge impact on jobs in neighbouring rural areas and compound already grave unemployment in the Platteland‚” Trollip said.TMG Digital/The Herald..