Upon assuming office, executive mayor Mzwandile Masina committed the metro to a 100-day programme of rapid service delivery.
Speaking at the November council meeting in Germiston on Thursday, he shared their 100-day score card. The 100 days will end on November 29.
SOCIAL CLUSTER
Goals set: increasing grants-in-aid; opening three new clinics; launching e-Verification system for capturing of indigents; introduction of chronic medication distribution centres; release land to accredited faith-based organisations; improve recreational facilities; hand out 292 houses and 280 title deeds; acquire the house of the late liberation struggle icon Chris Hani for heritage purposes; conduct crime operations in hot spot areas like Germiston, Kempton Park and Boksburg.
Report back:
• The grant-in-aid kitty is increased from R10m to R100m with immediate effect;
• Opening Khumalo, Tsietsi and Dukathole clinics – which cost the city R72m to build and will serve not less than 300 000 people;
• Launched 21 chronic medication pick-up points – a move that will reduce queues at clinics and bring medication to the doorstep of those who need it the most;
• The e-verification process for the indigent was also launched on November 22;
• In the area of title deeds, the target was 280 and 715 were distributed in KwaThema, Etwatwa, Nigel, Esselen Park, Thokoza and Vosloorus;
• An additional 437 families, instead of the targeted 292, now have proper homes after receiving houses in Alra Park, Etwatwa, Villa Liza and Combiza. This project cost R52m;
• The metro spent an additional R55m in the provision of 585 serviced stands in Balmoral and Chief Albert Luthuli – exceeding the target of 578;
• Conducted successful crime prevention operations in Kempton Park, Germiston, Kingsway and Boksburg CBDs.
• Two new police precincts are to be opened in Zonke (R17m) and Thokoza (R22m);
• Millions of people witnessed the historical acquisition of the house of liberation struggle icon and freeperson of the city, Cadre Chris Hani, on November 17.
• Construction of the new R30m Albertina Sisulu Corridor Fire Station in Kempton Park;
• Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) programme launched at libraries;
• Busy with the processing of land to be released, to accredited faith based organisations;
• Re-opening of Selection Park, a long closed swimming pool in Springs; opened Actonville Community Park on November 17; completed Vosloorus entrance beautification and handed over Ukusuka Park to the community on November 17;
• Clearing illegal dumping and providing communities with alternatives. The metro cleared the illegal dumping at Victor Street in Etwatwa, on October 28.
INFRASTRUCTURE CLUSTER
Goals set: to replace 1 700 leaking and old water meters; kick-start the process of establishing our own power station; tar 50 streets and refurbish 7km of road; address water pressure issues in Etwatwa and Tsakane; invest not less than R150m on the electricity infrastructure, to stabilise supply in Germiston; committed to providing extra toilets in Langaville and Central Hostel.
Report back:
• Replacement of 1700 old and leaking water meters – to date we stand at 2 500 and counting in areas such as Kathorus, Alberton, Kempton Park, Benoni, Tembisa and Nigel;
• 52 additional toilets have been rolled out in Central Hostel (30) and Langaville (22);
• Repaired the water pump station in Tsakane to the tune of R16m and installed a new one in Etwatwa to the tune of R25m. These have already been commissioned and are fully operational;
• Broadened water service to informal settlements by an additional 80 standpipes. Areas covered are Harry Gwala, Palm Ridge, Daggafontein and Balmoral;
• The tender calling for proposals for the Ekurhuleni Power Generation Programme (EPGP) has already gone out;
• Concluded the upgrading of the power supply network in Germiston. The work included the replacement of medium voltage switchgear at the Atom Road substation in Wadeville and the replacement of feeder cables supplying Dinwiddie, Phumula, Lambton, Tedstoneville and surrounding areas;
• To stabilise the electricity infrastructure in various parts of the region, R15m was spent in replacing cables and switchgear panels in various areas including Langaville, Geluksdal, Rynfield, Cloverdene and Crystal Park.
• A promise that 722 families in the Winnie Mandela Informal Settlement in Tembisa would be supplied with electricity for the first time in over a decade – and indeed R15m later, the project was realised and on October 25, there was light;
• To remain on track to open the new Phuthaditjhaba and Bluegumview taxi ranks – and the Etwatwa Motor Vehicle Registration Authority – respectively;
• While the metro has undertaken to tar 50 streets totaling 25km and resurfacing 7km of roads, predominantly in the Eastern and Southern regions – due to inclement weather, the project hasn’t been completed; but the metro remains impressed with the progress.
So far, tarring is standing at 13km and just over 5km has been covered in resurfacing. In the area of resurfacing, the target will be met this week and tarring should be done by the second week of December.
Roads covered so far, include: Graaff Reinet Street, 2nd Street and Tonk Meter in Nigel; Sastri in Alra Park, Umkomaas in Petersfield, Denne in Brakpan, Majola in KwaThema and Tertiary Road in Endulwini in Tembisa. All this work costs the city R112m;
• Road rehabilitation continues and to this end, 135km was covered at the tune of R156m;
• While the metro had set a target of rolling out 22 000 240l bins in the 100 days, they’re now standing at 25 550 at a cost of R13m – having completed the first 22 000 in Katlehong last month. The focus has now moved to Vosloorus.
ECONOMIC CLUSTER
Goals set: finalise the 100 Vukuphile intake; increase the bursary scheme; empower a recycling co-operative in Tembisa; and identify land for the construction of a hospitality school around the Kempton Park area.
Report back:
• The finalisation of 100 Vukuphile contractors to be empowered with projects worth R500m by the municipality over the next three years, has been completed;
• Handed over a truck, equipment and recycling facility worth R1.7m, to a co-operative in Sethokga Section in Tembisa;
• Sod turning for the construction of a catering school in Kempton Park on November 30. In the meantime, the school continues operating from a makeshift facility at Emperors Palace;
• More young people can expect full bursaries, following the decision to increase the bursary scheme from R10m to R100m, with immediate effect;
• An uptake of 50 fire and rescue learners.
IT
The metro had undertaken to increase wi-fi hot spots by another 100 spots across 25 sites, thus giving access to at least 130 000 more members of the community.
To date 50 sites had been done and work will continue, to meet the deadline by the end of the 100 days, which is November 29.
Siyaqhuba Service Delivery Programme
This ‘mellow-yellow’ programme, which continues to take the metro to various corners of the city in an effort to perfect service delivery, was introduced in September. Service delivery hiccups are being eliminated.
People of Tswelopele Ext 8 can attest their mobile toilets are now cleaned regularly. Child-headed families have been receiving food parcels, and an extra 20 water standpipes have been installed.
Issues of illegal dumping, flooding and stormwater drainage continue to receive attention in Duduza in Tembisa, while the clinic in Oliphantsfontein is due to receive a facelift in the 2017/18 financial year.
