SEDIBENG. – Deputy President Paul Mashatile says a lot of progress has been made on service delivery projects in Sedibeng District Municipality (SDM).

Mashatile was in Sedibeng this morning on the District Development Model outreach programme. Mashatile was accompanied by cabinet Ministers, Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, SDM Mayor Lerato Maloka, and Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) Mayor Sipho Radebe.

Mashatile’s visit was prompted by commitments made by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the presidential Imbizo in August 2022.

Addressing the media this morning,  Mashatile said they don’t want problems where they are told that something is happening when it is not happening.

“What we want to do is to come and see that there is progress so that we can go and report to the president. There  may have been delays but that’s why the president is saying he doesn’t want reports but wants us to instead see for ourselves.  All the Ministers are going to come back again and go back to the president and report in six months time,” he said.

Mashatile said he is happy that National Government is able to come out together with Provincial and Local Governments.

“When we put pressure on project managers and ask them why there is no progress, they must share their challenges so that we can resolve them. It is important for us to go everywhere and see the progress for ourselves.”

Mashatile was given progress reports on the Vereeniging Intermodal Taxi Facility (Taxido), Leeuwkuil Waste Water Treatment Works, Vereeniging Fresh Produce Market, and the Vaal River City Interchange where work is currently being carried out.

“We have already been given reports but we want to see that the work is happening. At the end of the day this is about the people,” Mashatile concludes.