Mayor launches 100-day plan, promises fully funded budget by March 2025

In a move to address the challenges facing Tshwane, Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya has announced a comprehensive 100-day action plan aimed at revitalising the metro.

The plan, which focuses on six key priorities, promises to bring about meaningful change and set Tshwane on the path to financial recovery.

The priorities are financial stability, economic revitalisation, infrastructure development, equitable basic service delivery, by-law enforcement and community engagement.

Moya bemoaned the dire state the previous administration left the metro in.

“The city’s budget has been unfunded for several years, meaning we lack sufficient income to cover expenses, including the provision of basic services and capital investments,” she stated.

Tshwane’s debt stands at over R11-billion with R6.76-billion owed to Eskom alone.

Moya believes a focused approach to pressing concerns will unlock the city’s potential for renewal, allowing it to confront and overcome the challenges stifling growth.

Addressing the metro’s longstanding financial woes, Moya has made stabilising the fiscus her number one goal.

“No city can function without adequate resources,” said Moya.

She stated that delivering better services to residents requires financial health.

“Ensuring no community in Tshwane is left behind starts with a funded budget.”

Moya promised an improved financial performance and a fully funded budget by March next year.

She said to accomplish this, a financial recovery plan with several elements will be implemented.

Moya listed improvement in billing measures, increased revenue collection and continuation of the Tshwane Ya Tima programme as part of her key objectives.

The programme allows the municipality to cut services to those who owe the metro reduce their debtor’s book and reduce the metro’s expenditure in line with its budget.

“The city is on track to achieve a record R4-billion in monthly collections, aiming for R4.4-billion by the end of the financial year,” said Moya.

Moya vowed to enhance revenue collection, reduce water and electricity losses, control expenditure and address Eskom’s R6.76-billion debt.

“We will bill customers on actual readings, not estimates,” she promised.

She stated that their target is to reach 95% actual readings within their first 100 days.

“Assuming revenue collection continues to improve, we will look at budget adjustments to reallocate resources to frontline services, settle historic debt and work with labour unions towards a mutually acceptable resolution regarding salary increases.”

The metro’s new leadership has made economic revitalisation their second priority.

This means supporting local businesses, creating jobs and stimulating economic growth to put the metro on a stable financial footing.

“A vibrant economy fuels a functional city, while a functional city enables economic growth,” said Moya.

“To unlock Tshwane’s economic potential, we will focus on supporting established corporations, SMMEs, emerging businesses and informal traders, particularly in township economies.”

She said this would extend to support given to township businesses, exploration of new areas for collaboration, the city’s public employment programme and work opportunities, as well as prioritisation of the metro’s investment facilitation programme.

Moya placed infrastructure development, particularly energy and water infrastructure third on the priority list after the metro’s long-standing and frequent power and water outages, as well as ageing infrastructure.

“While the budget limits our capacity to solve all infrastructure issues immediately, we can improve capital project management,” said Moya.

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She said their focus will be on kick-starting suspended projects in townships and informal settlements.

Moya’s goal is to implement robust project management strategies so that by the end of the financial year, 100% of the capital budget is spent and no grant funding is returned due to under-expenditure.

“Our key infrastructure projects that will improve residents’ lives include the Rooiwal wastewater treatment works, sewer pipeline refurbishments, high-mast lights and revitalisation of critical substations,” she said.

Ensuring equal access to essential services and maintaining a clean city is the fourth key focus of the action plan, with the new administration pledging to provide quality basic services as a fundamental right, not a political favour.

She said their goal is to improve lighting in areas that have long been left in darkness.

“We are also putting measures in place to accelerate response times for water leaks and sewer blockages, aiming to address 90% of complaints within 48 hours, with a long-term target of 24 hours,” stated Moya.

“These issues account for most complaints received by the city.”

To maintain clean townships, Moya stated they will engage communities in clean-up programmes, including litter-picking, street sweeping and illegal dumping clearance.

“We have embarked on campaigns in Mamelodi, Atteridgeville and the CBD.”

Enhancing public safety and health is the fifth key focus, with the metro prioritising by-law enforcement and inner-city revitalisation to create a secure and healthy environment.

She stated that locals deserve to be informed about service delivery progress and we have a responsibility to bring the government closer to the people.

“The city needs to communicate proactively so when issues arise, residents hear it from us first.”

Moya announced her cabinet will launch imbizos to introduce the new executive, listen to the concerns of residents and share their plans.

“We will also launch a series of imbizos to introduce the new administration to residents, listen to your concerns, hear your ideas to fix them and share our plans to address them.”

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