Mam-Linah’s 100 day promise is nearing its halfway mark.
After 48 days in office the progress on the promise she made on the day of her inauguration on April 5 is put under the magnifying glass.
One must consider the problems the Executive Mayor of Emalahleni, Cllr Linah Malatjie inherited before focussing on the challenges she fast tracked.
The municipality’s infrastructure is falling apart, the billing system is in total chaos and the Eskom debt is at an all time high.
Cllr Malatjie put together intervention strategies approved by council to deal with Eskom debt.
“Under the circumstances strict discipline and monitoring in the implementation of these measures is required,” said Mr Kingdom Mabuza, municipal spokesperson.
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The billing problems enjoyed it s fair share of attention.
“In all likelihood residents, business and all our customers will receive their May accounts by May 30. Our billing division is working around the clock to bring all accounts on par. Related to that, we finalising meter audits and it will be an ongoing process. We have already loaded over 2 000 meters into the system and that will enable the municipality to accurately charge according to consumption. Meters have been marked according to stands. We are making headway against heavy seas, but we will ultimately get things right,” Mabuza said.
On the hotly debated infrastructure issue, Cllr Malatjie, in her acceptance speech, identified six challenges which she said needed an accelerated response strategy.
Executive Mayor of Emalahleni, Cllr Linah Malatjie.
One of the challenges she spoke about was road maintenance. Between April and June, several streets would have been patched. Teams have been dispatched to urgently attend to Jansen Street, Main Street, Diedericks Street, Churchill Street, Frangipanie, Sekelbos Street, Dawid Street, Ogies Central Business District, Orion Street, Sagittarius Street, Paul Sauer Street, Pendoring Street, Taaibos Street, Thubelihle main road, OR Tambo Road, roads in Clewer, Toerien Street, Arras Street, Avril Street, Mandela Road, Machibini Street, Shadrack Maelane Street, Ronel Street, Steenkamp Street and Sangiro Street.
Some gravel roads like Empumelelweni, Naawpoort, Klarinet, Masakhane will be regravelled.
Upgrading of Klipspruit Waste Treatment Works which was initially a project managed by Rand Water before its contract was terminated, is also on the priority list.
The subsequent delays have a huge impact for the Waste Treatment Works of Siyanqoba, Klarinet development, Empumelelweni, Hlalanikahle and KwaGuqa Extension, and this matter will have to be resolved within the first 100 days of tenure.
“We also need to put in place an accelerated project plan for the provision of bulk water infrastructure phase one and two,” Mabuza said.
Serious work has also started to address other challenges identified by Cllr Malatjie, which include engagement sessions with social partners.
