So much happened in a year.

From the word go the Executive Mayor of Emalahleni Clr Conny Nkalitshana had big shoes to fill after the sudden death of Clr Linah Malatjie in January last year.

Just after the shock settled in Nkalitshana was appointed as mayor.

It was not an easy task building on the legacy of the much-loved Ma’Linah as she was fondly known.

In her acceptance speech, Nkalitshana assured a collective commitment to progressively build the municipal requisite capabilities to deliver service promptly and consistently.

Twelve months down the line she released a report giving the community an update on the strides the municipality has made under her guidance.

Basic service delivery was first on the list, followed by municipal financial viability and also the re-engineering of local economic development.

Water and sanitation:

A water supply agreement was reached with Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium.

This was to target the challenges of consistent access to potable water in KwaGuqa Extension (the whole of Ezinambeni).

Through inter-governmental relations (IGR) a total of 8 669 water and sewer connections were completed in the newly formalised settlements across the municipality.

Through funding from the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) 3500 new water connections were completed in Empumelelweni Extensions.

“We have also given 6-kilo litres of water free to 6 361 poor households registered and approved as indigents,” Nkalitshana said.

“On a short-term basis, we will continue to improve the current system of water provisioning.”

Roads: 

The municipality is now participating in the Vala Zonke Potholes Programme initiated and led by the Ministry of Transport with SANRAL as an implementing agent.

R20m was spent on patching 76 000 square metres of potholes by December last year.

Furthermore, 4.1km road has been upgraded from a gravel road to surfaced road with storm water drainage in Thubelihle Extension 5.

Within the same period, the municipality has resealed the major intersection of OR Tambo and Louise Street.

“In partnership with Sasol Mine, we rehabilitated the Phola Vulindlela Bridge to solve the problem of school children and motorists who could not cross over the bridge during torrential rains. Equally the Blancheville Bridge has been rehabilitated and completed in December.”

Electricity:

Through assistance from the DMRE Integrated National Electrification Programme, a total of 2339 new electrical connections were completed covering Siyanqoba and Empumelelweni.

“After a few months of sleepless nights when people of KwaGuqa Extensions (Ezinambeni) were subjected to a prolonged electricity outage after the main transformer was damaged and vandalised, the municipality managed from its revenue to procure and install a new 40MVA power transformer in the KwaGuqa 132KV substation,” the mayor said.

The municipality is paying heavy penalties to Eskom because the power demand is much higher than what the electricity license permits.

However, the municipality has registered progress in addressing this challenge after Eskom committed to increasing the nominal maximum demand at least for now at KwaGuqa 132 KV main substation.

“In ensuring that all poor households receive the number of free electricity allocations that they are entitled to, we have consistently given 6 361 registered and approved indigent households 50kWh of free electricity.”

Nkalitshana explained that the fight against illegal connections remains one of the biggest challenges the municipality faces.

“Together with our communities, we have sustained the fight against illegal connections and the culture of non-payment which is quite frankly, one of the root causes of poor service delivery. Operation ‘khokha kuzobancono’ is aimed at mitigating the damage caused by non-payment of municipal services.

Development and planning:

• In Siyanqoba and Duvha 188 houses were completed and handed over to beneficiaries.
• The formalisation of Empumelelweni Ext 9, 10 and 11 saw 2 074 households allocated and resettled.
• In Thubelihle Ext 8 117 residential stands were also allocated.
• The municipality issued 670 title deeds to Klarinet, Kwaguqa, Phola and Thubelihle Extensions.
• One thousand and thirty-four building plans were approved in line with the national building regulations.
• Applications for land development stand at 165.
• These were processed already.
• Emalahleni needs to attract investors to keep the economy running.

“The 2022 State of the Municipality Address has noted that the local economic activity is relatively subdued with no prospects of reversing the high number of unemployment, poverty levels and inequality unless we forge decisive strategic partnerships to turn the situation around,” Nkalitshana said.

With that in mind, the municipality has sustained the focus to conduct the necessary feasibility studies, packaged business development plans for high-impact catalytic legacy projects including but not limited to township industrial parks, Agro-Processing hubs, upgrading Emalahleni resort, the revival of Covadia Asiatic Bazaar (old Indian Section in Church Street in Thushanang), an industrial and mining museum, and a fly-ash paving and brick manufacturing project.

“All projects have been packaged and are ready for potential investors,” Nkalitshana confirmed.

Running of the local municipality:

The recruitment process for the position of municipal manager and executive director of community services has been finalised.

“We have appointed 119 general workers to strengthen service delivery where the tyre hits the ground. We have implemented workplace skills plan and 372 beneficiaries have been trained on various training programmes.”

Expanded Public Works Programmes Employees were appointed to strengthen service delivery.

Promotion of a safe and healthy environment: 

The local clean-up campaign ‘Operation Hlanzeka’ was launched.

Refuse removal backlogs were addressed, illegal dumping sides are getting a regular clean-up and the general upkeep of the municipality is taking preference.

Seven additional refuse collection trucks were added to the fleet.

Two waste transfer stations, one at Reyno Ridge and the other at Eric Liberty were constructed.

Lynnville Park has been upgraded and it is in the process of being declared a heritage site and 3 025 trees were planted.

The climate change strategy has now been approved by the council for implementation and weighing various options for adding sources of renewable energy to the energy mix agenda of ELM going into the future.

The municipality has also acquired vehicle emission and testing equipment, and this programme was launched on March 7 last year.

This is aimed at mitigating the health hazards associated with air pollution. 

Community services: 

Phola Fire Station was refurbished and upgraded and two fire engines were purchased and delivered.

“The municipal fire department has now set a clear service standard, to say they will release the fire engine within five minutes of receiving a call, however, the distance and access to the fire scene will determine the arrival time.”

Four arts, culture, sport and recreation development programmes were implemented.

“I will tighten political oversight to ensure that refurbishment of Lynnville tennis courts, Phola combo courts and upgrading of Sy-Mthimunye Stadium takes off the ground,” Nkalitshana said.

Taking care of the most vulnerable through ‘Operation Ziveze’, 3 174 indigents were registered and approved.

Emalahleni protest over lights prevents matrics from writing maths final exam https://t.co/nu2RtqSavC

— Pretoria News (@pretorianews) November 7, 2022

Education: 

Education attainment is a key indicator of development in the population of any municipality or country.

In this regard, the mayor’s office is also disbursing financial assistance to deserving learners, and for 2023, the screening and selection processes are underway.

The class of 2022 made the mayor smile as they secured an impressive 82.8 % pass rate which puts the municipality in the best top five municipalities when it comes to educational attainment in Mpumalanga.

Financial viability and strengthening the revenue base:

Financial viability is but one of the top five goals towards a desired financial health status as a key enabling factor to deliver services consistently and promptly.

The mayor reported that the 2022/23 budget was based on the projected payment rate of 70%, however, they have just managed to improve by 4% from 60% before February 2022 to 64% as at February 2023, quite clearly doing as well as expected.

“We managed to mobilise our communities under ‘Khokha kuzobancono’ and ‘Ziveze’ operations to increase the revenue collection to a norm of 95% and above by focusing on every street, block and ward. Together we can succeed to reach a 95% payment rate to carry the cost of water provisioning, electricity supply, and attending to sewer spillages, and potholes in our roads network.”

Increasing revenue collection, and reducing electricity and water distribution losses are at the centre of the municipality’s financial turnaround strategy.

Other important revenue enhancement milestones include:

• Opening a new pay point at Klarinet to improve accessibility and resolve customer queries speedily;
• Replacing 687 faulty water meters’
• Austerity measures are in place because we must get to a point where revenue collection is higher than expenditure levels, but also urge our communities to report any form of corrupt activity;
• Although still very high, over the last 12 months, the municipality has reduced outsourcing and contracted services significantly, and they now work on a budget-funded plan.

The mayor concluded, “We have climbed service delivery hills together but we now realised that there are many more hills to climb. I am confident that together we can build a better community and take Emalahleni to greater heights by positioning it as an investment destination of choice.”

Residents are invited to give input and suggestions for the 2023 State of the Municipality Address.

This can be posted on the municipality’s Facebook, or placed in suggestion boxes at the entrance of the municipal main buildings on or before April 30.

See the State of the Municipality Address here: 

https://www.facebook.com/eMalahleniLocalMunicipality/videos/1386466998506832 

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