Rand Water and ELM have launched a competition for the public to suggest a new name and brand identity for the SPV, which has been set up over the past few months to deal with water and sanitation challenges in the region.

It’s not just an ordinary business-as-usual Government Department which may or may not describe the work they are supposed to do, it’s a new Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) specially set up by Rand Water and the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) to replace Metsi-a-Lekoa, the failed previous organisation.

Disclosure – suggested names referring to sewage, blocked passages and unblocking orifices will not be considered, says ELM.

Closing date is 21 June 2024 and send your suggested name to spvname@emfuleni.gov.za

The Top 10 entries will qualify for a boat trip and the overall winner will receive a corporate branded material hamper.

Rand Water is the implementing agent for the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) for the Vaal River clean-up project and also controls ELM’s water and sanitation infrastructure.

With the new SPV, Rand Water and ELM will co-manage the new structure including maintenance and revenue management from water, although the Vaal River project is almost at the end of its three-year term.

Metsi-a-Lekoa personnel have been incorporated into the new structure which is also said to run for three years.

It forms part of ELM Municipal Manager April Ntuli’s overall restructuring strategy to improve its revenue and infrastructure related to bulk utilities such as water and electricity.

ELM owes Rand Water close to R1 billion already for water, but so great are leakages and water losses from the aging infrastructure that up to 60% of potable water is being lost – in other words ELM pays for it but it does not reach the consumer.

This unsustainable situation is amongst the challenges the new SPV must address.

Ntuli has also structured a deal with Eskom whereby the utility becomes the agent of ELM and manages revenues from electricity directly and maintains electrical infrastructure.

This will allow residents and businesses, in terms of a High Court order granted the Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) last year, the right to side-step ELM and pay Eskom direct.

A final deal between Eskom and ELM is still in the pipeline, although many businesses have migrated to Eskom already.