Executive mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni delivers the State Of the City Address
The executive mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni promises to deliver service adequately to the residents in the upcoming years, as they implement a specific strategy to ensure that service is delivered.
City of Ekurhuleni executive mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza delivered the annual State of the City Address on April 30.
The mayor made several promises to the city’s residents, expected to be delivered in the following years.
Xhakaza cited many issues facing the city, but Alberton’s challenges included energy, water and sanitation, roads and stormwater, transport planning, human settlement, crime and unemployment.
Xhakaza said most of these priorities were realised and fixed, while others are still under implementation because of the nature of the work that needs to be done.
“This State of the City Address is delivered 30 years into our democracy. Therefore, this speech must give fresh hope to the millions of people who have continuously looked up to us to deliver a better life for all the citizens of Ekurhuleni.
“As we reflect on the past 30 years as a country, we must take the best lessons forward and demonstrate that we have learnt from our past,” the mayor said.
According to Xhakaza, service delivery started declining in 2021 in the townships of the city.
During the SOCA, the executive mayor mentioned that Ekurhuleni residents in the coming years will see accelerated service delivery projects, employment creation, and increased investment.
The CoE leadership established six key pillars that will guide their administration for the remainder of their current term.
The six key pillars are:
• Provision of quality and sustainable services to all residents.
• Rebuilding a strong financial base to support the city’s development.
• Conducting essential repairs and maintenance of public facilities.
• Investment in critical infrastructure in partnership with the private sector.
• Economic development growth and job creation, focusing on the aerotropolis and the revitalisation of the manufacturing sector.
• Preserving good and ethical governance.
He said everything they do is based on the Growth and Development Strategy 2055.
The strategic document guides them to:
• Re-urbanise: To provide dependable, affordable, and long-term services while also ensuring better infrastructure maintenance.
• Re-govern: To establish a clean, capable, and modernised local state.
• Re-mobilise: To promote safer, healthy, and socially empowered communities.
• Re-generate: To safeguard the natural environment and promote resource sustainability.
• Re-industrialise: To protect the natural environment and promote resource sustainability to create an enabling.
“To all our stakeholders and communities, continue to actively participate in government programmes and actively contribute towards shaping the city we all aspire, and propel the programme for a better life for all the people of Ekurhuleni.
“We need you to regularly scrutinize our work. Do not be shy to constructively criticise us so that we remain focused at all times,” Xhakaza concluded.
