Government is committed to improving the lives of residents of the City of Ekurhuleni Municipality through interventions including “expanded support for small businesses and intensified efforts to spare communities from crime”.
Other interventions will be in security of tenure for people living and working on farms, and much needed repairs to major roadways that serve as economic arteries to the municipality.
On Friday, President Cyril Ramaphosa led a District Development Model Presidential Imbizo in the municipality.
READ | Strong municipalities needed to grow economy
The Presidential Imbizo was a platform for communities to interact and share their challenges with government leaders from all three spheres of government on service delivery challenges, and for the executive to respond to the community on what they are doing to resolve those issues.
“During this interaction, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza and other leaders outlined efforts address these matters and to improve economic prospects more broadly in the district,” the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) said in a statement.
Water and electricity
After the community expressed their challenges, particularly those related to water, Xhakaza assured them that the city’s Water and Sanitation Department was working tirelessly to deliver services.
A new water pump station is in the pipeline for the area.
“The department has been allocated R590 million in 2024/25 for key projects including R30 million for a new 30Ml reservoir in Germiston; R15 million for the construction of a new sewer pipeline at Pomona and R10 million for a new water pipeline in Nigel.
“To mitigate the challenge the city power cuts and load reduction the City has undertaken to install backup generators at 21 water supply infrastructure sites such as reservoirs and pump stations. Some sites where the backup generators installed include Sunward Park, Tsakane and Germiston reservoirs,” the statement read.
Housing and employment
During the Imbizo, it was revealed that land claims totalling some R53 million are being fast tracked while housing is also getting attention.
It was revealed that the city, the provincial and national governments have partnered to under mega hosing projects which are at “various stages of pre-planning and construction”.
“The City has provided hundreds of serviced sites or stands that feature permanent infrastructure such as water, electricity and sanitation and are ready for top structures for integrated human settlements, and the development of transport services.
“Ekurhuleni is implementing a range of housing projects and related infrastructure totalling just under half a billion rand at Brakpan Old Location, Esselen Park, John Dube, Helderwyk, Birchleigh, Leeuwpoort, Daggafontein and Palm Ridge.
“Other actions under way and in the pipeline in the district include public employment projects such as the Vala Zonke pothole repair initiative; the opening in the coming weeks of a shared facility that will bring together small businesses under one roof; the revival of dormant industrial parks, and the provision of solar panels to needy residents in an initiative that has the potential to create 30 000 jobs,” the GCIS said.
Pre-Imbizo
Ahead of the Imbizo, leaders from all three spheres of government embarked on oversight visits to Ekurhuleni.
“Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy paid an oversight visit to the rehabilitation work construction crews are performing on 14km of the R21 freeway.
“Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development, Mzwanele Nyhontsho presented title deeds to land tenure beneficiaries who now have security on land bought by government at a cost of R12 million,” the GCIS said. – SAnews.gov.za
