
Fochville residents urged to attend IDP meeting amid ongoing water crisis
Community members of the Fochville area, many of whom are currently affected by water shortages, are invited to attend the municipality's annual IDP meeting this afternoon.
The Merafong City Local Municipality is required by law to hold meetings with communities to align its plans to their needs as part of the process to implement their IDP (Integrated Development Plan).
This afternoon's meeting for residents of Wards 14, 21 and 24 will be held at the Fochville Civic Centre and will start at 16:00. Everyone from these areas is invited.
Meanwhile the ward councillor of the area where the meeting will take place, Lindy Maritz, says that residents of this area are badly affected by the current Rand Water cuts. Maritz and the ward councillors of the areas in Carletonville that are most affected, Carlos Rebelo and Carl Steenekamp, are currently trying everything in their power to see whether they can get more help for their communities.
They have even called in the help of the Deputy Minister of Finance, Ashor Surapen, to try to see whether there might not be some kind of debt relief for Merafong's historical debt to Rand Water. As far as could be determined, Rand Water's current increased water cuts have been implemented to force Merafong to pay back more of this historical debt.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Exploring the five critical issues in KwaZulu-Natal local government
The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in KwaZulu-Natal identified five problems facing municipalities in the province. Image: Screengrab Political leadership is getting weaker, and at the next local government elections, there might be a huge turnover with many new councillors who will be part and parcel of governing municipalities without the requisite experience. This was the view of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in KwaZulu-Natal, which went on to identify the core problem that local government is inadequately equipped to fulfil its development agenda. SALGA made the remarks during the launch of the KZN Speaker's Forum and signing of a memorandum of understanding at the KZN Legislature on Friday. The forum is aimed at strengthening cooperation and coordination between the two institutions. This partnership is expected to enhance support to municipalities and strengthen legislative oversight programmes across the province. SALGA identified five problems in local government, which are: Poor political leadership capacity and weak administrative management. Inefficient and non-integrated local government delivery mechanisms, systems, and processes to enable service delivery. Ineffective utilisation of financial resources (poor financial administration), inability to collect revenue, and insufficient fiscus allocation Degenerating infrastructure and non-existent or poor services provided to local communities. Poor relationship with citizens leading to loss of confidence in local government. The KZN Speaker's Forum aims to empower speakers through the sharing of reports, develop strategic partnerships, and improve oversight programmes. Furthermore, this strategic collaboration will provide a structured platform for addressing service delivery challenges and promoting intergovernmental participation, particularly within Integrated Development Plan (IDP) processes. Nontembeko Boyce, speaker of the KZN Legislature, said no speaker should feel isolated, nor should the council have to navigate complex challenges alone. She stated that through this forum, they should support and learn from one another and stand together as leaders for the greater good of the province. 'Our communities do not care where a service comes from, they expect service delivery. They do not care who fixes the road, who installs the tap, or who makes sure the clinic is working, they just want it done. And they want us, as their leaders, to pull in the same direction. With all those expectations, the local government, as a sphere in which service delivery is the first point of call for our communities,' Boyce said. The forum's objectives are: To exchange knowledge, skills, and views on strategies to strengthen good governance and deepen democracy. Build a stronger link between councils and the provincial legislature. Share what works, and help each other through. Speak with one voice on issues that affect our communities. Sithole Mbanga, SALGA CEO, spoke about harnessing the power of political leadership to restore public trust and drive service delivery. Mbanga said the challenges they face are maintaining public trust from society and ensuring effective service delivery demands urgent attention. 'The government is under pressure to deliver, which is an important issue. We are not here to pay lip service, we want to form a relationship between the provincial and national governments. If you look at the surveys that one conducts and the perception that society has against local government, it is negative.' Mbanga expected new councillors to be part of governing municipalities after next year's elections. 'Without the requisite experience, it will be a problem for us. We will have to upskill those people who are going to become part and parcel of the leadership,' he said. SALGA's mandate is to transform local government to enable it to fulfil its development. Mbanga said SALGA is focused on four things: leadership, differentiation, data optimisation, and management and coordination. 'A mayor cannot run a municipality if there is no collaboration with others. Our mayors are saying help us to build that layer of leaders from the other spheres of government and other spheres of business and society," Mbanga said. [email protected]


Mail & Guardian
2 days ago
- Mail & Guardian
Ekurhuleni city manager placed on special leave until retirement
Dr Imogen Mashazi. (Photo supplied) The In a letter addressed to Mashazi on Wednesday, mayor 'In accordance with the provisions of Section 55(1) of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act No. 32 of 2000), which outlines the duties of the municipal manager in respect of implementing council resolutions, you are hereby requested to ensure that all requisite arrangements and preparatory actions are undertaken to enable an orderly and efficient transition during this period,' the letter read. Xhakaza added that any actions contrary to the council's resolution would be considered irregular, and he acknowledged Mashazi's continued dedication, cooperation, and commitment to the service of the city. Xhakaza's letter follows a council resolution instructing the city to begin the process of appointing a new city manager, because the council did not approve Mashazi's continued tenure. It is understood that Mashazi had requested to be compensated for the remaining two years of her contract, but this request was turned down by the council. Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Economic Freedom Fighters ( 'Ordinarily, when you take leave or when you are about to leave a position, it should be voluntary so that [you are] not seen to be in the way of what people are trying to do,' Malema added. 'We are going to miss her, and I hope she won't distance herself too much. I hope she remains close and continues to offer advice, as she has a wealth of experience and wisdom.' When asked whether he was aware of the council's resolution to replace Mashazi, Malema responded that, to his knowledge, she had simply requested that her contract be allowed to run its full course, even though she had reached retirement age. 'There is no such council resolution [to extend her contract], so in the absence of one, they are unable to extend it,' he said. In another letter dated 4 June, which the Mail & Guardian has seen, the council confirmed that it had approved the commencement of the recruitment process for a new city manager on a five-year fixed term. The council also approved the composition of the interview panel for the position. It will include Xhakaza, EFF provincial chair Dunga said the position still had to be advertised and would be followed by a screening process. Dunga said Mashazi was correctly given a five-year contract, in line with obligations under the Municipal Structures and Systems Acts. 'We obviously foresaw that she would either carry out the full five years or retire upon reaching the mandatory retirement age. This is more of a transitional period than anything else,' Dunga said. 'We did consider a waiver that would have needed to be submitted to the minister. But be that as it may, such approval is beyond our sphere of influence. We have to focus on the matters at hand, and at this point, there is no waiver. 'There is no indication of a waiver, and administration must continue beyond one individual, even someone as dedicated as Dr Mashazi, who has served the City of Ekurhuleni for 36 years.'


The Citizen
3 days ago
- The Citizen
‘War on Leaks' programme: SIU reveals R2.2bn budget balloons to over R4bn
The SIU has uncovered irregular contract extensions and procurement irregularities in its investigation into the water and sanitation department. The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has revealed that the budget for the War on Leaks programme has increased to more than double the initial plan, and the number is still rising. The SIU appeared before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts on Wednesday, where it provided an update on its investigations into the Department of Water and Sanitation. According to the SIU, the department is riddled with: Contracts that balloon from the initial budget Irregular appointments of service providers Contractors who fail to perform contractual duties Irregular contract extensions Procurement irregularities Possible fraudulent claims Overpriced goods and services Payment for work never performed Manipulation of the payment system for overpayment and incorrect VAT charges Officials in the water sector who certified and commissioned work that was not performed Irregular expenditure In April last year, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed Proclamation 164 of 2024, authorising the SIU to investigate allegations of serious maladministration in the department and to recover any financial losses suffered by the state or the department. ALSO READ: SIU is not done with NLC yet, as more corruption allegations emerge The scope of the investigation covers any unlawful or improper conduct by department officials or employees, as well as applicable suppliers or service providers, or any other person or entity that has caused or may cause serious harm to the public's interests. 'War on Leaks' The War on Leaks Artisan Training programme was launched by then-president Jacob Zuma in 2015 with the aim of training 15,000 youths to reduce water losses through leaks. The project was signed in 2015 by then Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane for Rand Water to curb about R7 billion in water leaks across the country. During Phase one of the project, 3 000 pupils were trained during 2015/2016, during Phase two, 5,000 pupils were trained during 2016/2017, while in Phase three, 7,000 pupils were set to be trained during 2017/2018. The second phase of the War on Leaks project was launched by Mokonyane in Durban in February 2017. ALSO READ: SIU authorised to probe water department's 'war on leaks' project The approved budget for the programme was R2.2 billion. However, the SIU identified that R4.7 billion had been paid out so far, the SIU told the committee on Wednesday. The SIU said this number continues to increase due to its forensic account quantification process. Rand Water received R1.7 billion, which includes R40 million in unexplained and unsubstantiated contingency fees. This investigation is ongoing. SIU on Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works Rooiwal made headlines in 2023 after a cholera outbreak which killed 23 people at Hammanskraal, with controversial businessman Edwin Sodi's R295-million tender contract to upgrade the plant's infrastructure being scrutinised. At the time, the department found that 'the failure of the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works to meet the desirable final effluent quality for discharge to the Apies River, which in turn flows into the Leeukraal Dam', played a critical role in the Hammanskraal water crisis. ALSO READ: SIU investigates two municipalities for 'serious maladministration' over street light deals The SIU has since been investigating the refurbishment and upgrade project, of which only 60% of the first phase was completed before it was abandoned in 2020. In this project, the SIU identified 65 role players for high-level profiling, including officials, private individuals and entities. Nine officials were flagged for further lifestyle audits due to assets purchased and indications that they were living beyond their means. The SIU said that 27 officials were also flagged for further lifestyle audits due to assets purchased or living beyond their means, as well as suspicious transactions. Since 2012, the department's cash and assets yet to be recovered amount to R264.1 million, while the actual cash or assets recovered amount to R569.1 million. The department's contracts or administrative decisions that were set aside or deemed invalid amount to R1.1 billion. The SIU prevented a potential loss of R717 million. From 2008, the SIU has received 14 proclamations relating to the water and sanitation sector. Investigations into nine of these proclamations have been finalised, while five are active. READ NEXT: Rooiwal tender award: Tshwane officials absolved in Edwin Sodi's company progression