Mayor delivered state of the municipal address
Executive Mayor Cllr Lazaros Mashaba said in the next financial year, approximately 3 666 households in rural areas were going to benefit from bulk and water-reticulation projects.
Umjindi Local Municipality (ULM) executive mayor, Cllr Lazaros Mashaba, delivered the State of the Municipality Address last Friday.
The event took place at the council chambers in the presence of all councillors and attending community members within ULM.
In his speech Mashaba outlined the municipality’s budget, as well as the planned projects for the 2015/16 financial year.
He also explained council’s planned expenditure on service delivery for the coming year.
“We assemble here today to define succinctly how ULM will continue to tackle the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality. It is therefore not through my elegance neither my eloquence nor my choice that I am here today. It is the people of Umjindi and the tripartite alliance that I am here and I come to you as the servant of the people.”
Dwelling on their success, Mashaba said Umjindi had 19 563 households of which 15 897 had access to reliable clean potable water, which meant 81,3 per cent had access. He said only 18,7 per cent still received water from unreliable resources such as streams and water tankers.
“In respect to sanitation 73,6 per cent of the community had access to decent sanitation and approximately 26,4 per cent did not have access to decent sanitation. Significant progress had been scored in addressing water and sanitation challenges in rural areas. Approximately 931 households benefited from the bulk and sewer reticulation project at Verulam (Sincobile),” said Mashaba.
He said a package plant had been constructed at Esperado. “Significant feasibility studies were conducted at Emjindini Trust, Sheba Siding and KaMadkwa Ndlovu including the finalisation of technical reports to mobilise funding from the department of water and sanitation,” said Mashaba.
He said in the next financial year, approximately 3 666 households in rural areas were going to benefit from bulk and water-reticulation projects.
Mashaba said ULM’s proposed operating revenue for 2015/16 was estimated at R244,7 million. He said this amount was meagre when compared to the vast array of municipal challenges that the municipality had to deal with.
“It is our commitment to ensure that the municipality is financially viable and sustainable. Our major sources of revenue included the R67,3 million from equitable, the sale of water, electricity, refuse removal and sanitation. It is envisaged that the property rates should generate approximately R25,5 million,” added Mashaba.
The projects that will be implemented in the 2015/16 for Municipal Infrastructure Grant and Municipal Water Infrastructure Grant include the following:
• Oxidation of ponds at Extensions 13, 14, 15, 17, and 18. R17 760 000 has been budgeted for this purpose.
• Package plant and extensions of water-reticulation systems in rural areas: Mlambongwane, Emjindini Trust, Gaza, Honey Bird, Shelangubo and Uitval (R25 260 000).
• High-mast lights in Emjindini Trust (R3 800 000).
• Bulk pipe, storage and reticulation in Emjindini (R10 000 000).
• Bulk pipe, storage and reticulation in Emjindini Trust (R12 245 167)
• KaMadakwa Ndlovu storage and reticulation (R10 000 000)
• Queens River plant station and Suidkaap water-treatment plant (R14 254 833).
• Main Rimers Creek water-treatment plant (R10 000 000).
• Main Barberton/Verulam bulk pipeline, reticulation and reservoir (R11 500 00).
