The mayor has big plans for the City, including those to be unveiled at a Summit next month, but her critics say she's misguided.
City of Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya says the Wonderboom National Airport, Tshwane Events Centre, also known as Showgrounds, Fresh Produce Market, Pretoria West Power Station and the Rooiwal Power Station are all part of her plan to turn around the City’s finances.
On Thursday, Moya said the City will be unveiling a strategic plan at the upcoming inaugural Tshwane Investment Summit on 10 September.
“These assets alone will not be enough to revive the City’s economy. As such, during the Summit, the Administration will reveal the comprehensive support package to investors. Some investors in the city are already benefitting from the work we have begun in this regard,” she said.
Moya said central to this strategy is the activation of Tshwane’s portfolio of strategic assets, including land parcels, utility infrastructure, tourism sites, and industrial zones.
“These assets must no longer lie dormant and unused. They must be unlocked and leveraged to attract investment, support enterprise development, and strengthen the delivery of reliable services,” she said.
What is happening with Rooiwal?
Moya also touched on the progress of the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works and Rooiwal Power Station.
“The Rooiwal Power Station has been dormant for more than a decade, draining resources while producing no electricity. Although the station has been dormant, several of its regulatory approvals remain in place, such as the Air Quality Licence, Water Use Licence and NERSA Generation Licence.
“Once revived, Rooiwal could contribute 300 MW, strengthen Tshwane’s energy security and advance industrial and residential development,” she said.
Moya said the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works was under refurbishment to end pollution of the Apies River and stabilise water supply for Hammanskraal.
“Phase 1A has been completed. Phase 1B is currently underway, and we are committed to meeting our June 2026 deadline, which has focused on improving the effluent discharged from the plant,” she added.
Moya said Phase 2 was focused on increasing water supply to communities, and the City was seeking investment of more than R2 billion.
ALSO READ: Mayor Moya is working, not hiding
ANC coalition set back investment in power stations?
DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink has called on the City of Tshwane to reestablish its energy task team and to procure a transactional adviser on the power stations.
“Without these steps, the City has little to offer IPPs aside from more confusion. In September 2024, when the DA and our coalition partners were removed from office in Tshwane, the City was well on its way to procure private investment at Pretoria West and Rooiwal power stations.
“Since then, Tshwane’s ANC coalition has dragged its feet with the project, confused about whether or not it wants greater energy independence from Eskom.
“The City’s tariff policy has actively discouraged IPPs from setting up in Tshwane. In 2023, the DA and our coalition partners made the policy decision to lease the City’s two power stations to Independent Power Producers (IPPs). The decision was endorsed by the municipal council,” he explained.
“An energy task team was appointed to drive this goal, and to overcome vested interests inside the City who would’ve preferred for taxpayers’ money to be used to keep Rooiwal power stations under maintenance.
“On the advice of the energy task team, we budgeted R50 million for the appointment of a transactional adviser to get the City the best possible deal in leasing Rooiwal and Pretoria West to IPPs,” he added.
Brink said the ANC coalition, which replaced the DA coalition in October 2024, has failed to procure a transactional adviser for the power stations. The energy task team has also effectively been disbanded.
“Politicians inside Tshwane’s ANC coalition have made contradictory statements about energy policy, including that the City would prefer to use Eskom as its transactional adviser, a decision which would defeat the purpose of reducing the City’s dependence on Eskom,” he said.
Brink said in the first budget passed under the ANC coalition in June earlier this year, the City’s wheeling tariff was hiked to such an extent as to discourage investment in alternative energy generation in Tshwane.
“Tshwane is now further away from procuring investment than it was when Moya became mayor, a testament to the confusion, incoherence and lack of leadership at the heart of her government,” he said.
NOW READ: Cilliers Brink to stand as DA candidate for Tshwane mayor
