Pressing issues in State of City Address

Residents of the city can look forward to a number of new developments during the year to come including the construction of a new regional waste water treatment plant and a solar energy project to the value of R2 billion, Thembi Nkadimeng, Polokwane Executive Mayor announced in her State of the City Address (Soca) at the Jack Botes Hall last Wednesday.
Service delivery, development of infrastructure

Nkadimeng informed that the municipality was focussed on service delivery and development of infrastructure to provide services in developing areas where there had been backlogs. “This is first time in history of the municipality wherein council has made its own contribution to the service delivery budget to the amount of R 239 million while it will continue to spend R 334 million in the outer years. This is an indication that this municipality is moving away from being grants dependent on capital allocation,” Nkadimeng announced.
Biggest allocation to water
Nkadimeng said that the municipality will spend R375 million on water and R229 million on sanitation during the 2016/17 financial year that will include the building of the new regional waste water treatment plant. The municipality will spend R25 million on rural electrification and R31 million on urban infrastructure while R20 million will be used to repay the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) for frontloading finance that was received in the 2015/16 financial year.
“Road transport, which includes the Integrated Rapid Public Transport System (PIRPTS) has been allocated an amount of R371 million and a further R809 million will be spent in the outer years, while sport and recreation has been allocated R46 million for 2016/17 while R80 million will be spent in the outer years,” Nkadimeng said.
Smart City Vision
Nkadimeng added that the municipality is working on various Public Private Partnerships and alternative funding projects as part of long-term strategies to meet the Smart City Vision. Amongst the projects are smart metering, solar energy, asbestos cement pipes, wastewater, land use and development projects and most of the projects are either at procurement or final planning stage. The municipality will also continue with the replacement of the timeworn asbestos cement water pipes, spending R235 million during 2016/17.
Solar energy project: R2 billion
“A project that will assist the municipality with energy demand management is the solar energy project valued at R2 billion. This project will absorb 20% of the energy demands in Polokwane therefore reducing our major monthly payments to Eskom. A partnership with Department of Energy is on the cards for the solar panels for our indigent and social housing families,” Nkadimeng informed.

Story: BARRY VILJOEN
>>barryv.observer@gmail.com

Featured photo: Thembi Nkadimeng, Polokwane Executive Mayor delivers the State of the City Address (Soca) at the Jack Botes Hall.