Mayor promises better days at State of District Address

In his State of the District Address on 14 March, Mayor Mpho Nawa assured residents of a brighter future and stressed the need for a single governance structure across the West Rand District Municipality (WRDM).

WRDM Executive Mayor Mpho Nawa delivered his 2014 State of the District Address to a packed marquee at the WRDM offices in Randfontein and assured residents of much better days to come.

Ahead of the national election in May, Nawa’s address projected a sense of progress that sought to convince those concerned about the country’s future to give the ANC government a chance to prove its capabilities further.

In his address the Mayor outlined the sweeping changes he hopes to see implemented to improve local residents’ quality of life.

Nawa said the need for a newer and bigger city on the West Rand as part of the Global City Region concept had been recognised.

“It was envisaged that this finally would undermine former apartheid-era demarcations and structures. In 2007 a feasibility study was commissioned and this recommended a single tier of local government, which became known as a unicity,” he said.

He stressed that the proposal was for a single governance structure – for Mogale City, Randfontein, Westonaria and Merafong City – with integrated governance powers and functions.

In his hour-and-a-half long speech the Mayor shared President Jacob Zuma and Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane’s sentiments, saying, “Indeed the lives of our people have improved vastly and South Africa is a much better place compared to pre-1994.

“The success stories and case studies of the WRDM’s 20 years of delivery are packaged in line with the Municipal Key Performance Areas (KPA) as set out in the legislative framework of local government. The KPAs are outlined as follows: basic service delivery and infrastructure, economic development, financial viability, institutional development and transformation, and good governance and participation.”

Nawa mentioned the district’s improved service delivery and applauded sister municipalities for improving the lives of local people.

The optimistic address recapped all district projects and strategies, and served as a reminder to residents to ready themselves for 27 April, when the country would be celebrating 20 years of democracy.

The address attracted scores of local political big wigs such as mayors, including Mogale City Executive Mayor Koketso Calvin Seerane.