City leaders visit Germiston to tackle service delivery issues

MMCs Mzayifani Ngwenya (Energy), Leshaka Manamela (Environmental Resources and Waste Management), Sizakele Masuku (Community Safety), and Sivuyile Ngodwana (Corporate Shared Services) conducted an oversight visit in Germiston, with particular attention to the Albermarle and Delville areas, on September 5.

This oversight visit was part of the Mayoral Service Delivery Friday programme, which aims to address the persistent service delivery challenges that have become a thorn in the side of residents.

The programme identifies and addresses bottlenecks that delay turnaround times in responding to service interruptions.

Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza said the aim is to ensure the city moves beyond reactive responses and implements sustainable solutions that restore confidence in municipal service delivery.

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The first stop was Victoria Lake, one of Germiston’s landmark recreational sites. The oversight considered the maintenance efforts and explored how to transform the facility into a revenue-generating asset for the city.

By improving upkeep and positioning Victoria Lake as a hub for leisure, sport and tourism, the city aims to unlock its economic potential and create a safe, attractive environment for residents and visitors.

The Germiston City News raised the long-standing issue that the lake’s ablution facilities are not accessible to those who use the park.

“There are reasons the ablution facilities are locked sometimes because we cannot leave them unattended. The park is currently understaffed and, sometimes, workers might exhaust their overtime, so no one is available for the upkeep of the ablution facilities.

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“The city is looking into the matter so that those who visit the park can fully enjoy the facilities without being frustrated about ablution issues,” said Manamela.

The mayor recently stated that the city had plans to revive its tourism and entertainment as one way to generate money and attract investors.

The oversight programme also included a visit to the Germiston Golf Club, which boasts a history stretching over 150 years.

With discussions underway for potential public-private partnerships, the city is exploring how best to preserve this iconic facility while reducing operational costs to the municipality.

The CoE is considering a 60-40 partnership model, where private investment could help modernise and maintain the club without compromising its historical value.

Ingram said both facilities had the potential to benefit the city financially and that the city needed to use its rich history to save them.

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“Facilities like Victoria Lake and the Germiston Golf Club are not just part of our heritage, but they hold economic potential that can boost the city’s revenue if correctly managed. By reimagining these spaces, we can ensure they benefit the community socially and economically,” said Ingram.

The Russell Reservoir in Delville was also part of the programme. The reservoir project, which has experienced delays, is vital for ensuring a stable water supply to surrounding communities.

During the visit, officials said the project was in the final stages and on completion, residents would benefit from improved services.

But alongside infrastructure checks, the city also tackled one of its most pressing challenges: Illegal electricity connections. Teams on the ground moved to cut off unlawful connections that not only drained municipal revenue but also compromised the safety and reliability of supply for law-abiding households.

The mayor has said illegal connections are not a victimless act.

“They place massive strain on our infrastructure, cause frequent outages and reduce the city’s ability to collect revenue that should be reinvested into communities. Most importantly, they are dangerous and put lives at risk,” said the mayor.

Residents in Delville and the surrounding areas have long complained of power interruptions, many of which stem from overloading caused by illegal connections.

By clamping down on the problem, the city said it is protecting paying customers while restoring fairness and accountability in the system.