Latest news with #DraftIntegratedDevelopmentPlan
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
MLM expands CCTV, upgrades infrastructure in new budget rollout
Midvaal Local Municipality (MLM) is among the few municipalities in Gauteng to adopt a fully funded budget. This is after the unanimous decision to approve the 2025/2026 Medium Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework (MTREF) and Integrated Development Plan. This means that MLM has enough capital to cover all planned expenditures, including operational and capital costs. According to MLM, the Draft Integrated Development Plan and MTREF came after months of consultations with various communities and stakeholders across the municipality. The Gauteng budget 2.0 for the 2025/26 financial year is R172.3b, an increase of some R886.6m from the budget tabled earlier this year. As Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, tabled the Gauteng budget 2.0 for the 2025/26 financial year recently, he raised a serious concern that only four municipalities in Gauteng have tabled funded budgets while the rest remain unfunded. According to the municipality, the R2b 2025/2026 MTREF was drafted with careful consideration of the challenging economic climate facing the people of Midvaal, as well as the wider challenges faced by South Africa. This, MLM believes, showcases a government that prioritises the well-being and interests of its residents. The revenue budgeted for the year is R2.126b, an increase of 9.79% over the current year's budgeted revenue. Key service delivery projects included in this budget is R69m to replace old asbestos pipes using the Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG). Phase 3 of the electrification of Sicelo in Ext 5 (Silahliwe) continues. In previous budgets, MLM allocated funding for Phases 1 and 2 in Kuvukiland and Stand 118. A total of R26m will be geared towards the construction of a substation in Savanna City, which will increase electricity capacity to support future housing developments. 'A total of R27m has been set aside in the 2024/25 budget from loan finance for road rehabilitation and the conversion of gravel roads to tar. A further R22m is allocated in the 2025/26 financial year to continue with rehabilitation and gravel-to-tar upgrades.' Furthermore, the MLM said it will give rebates of 25% and 50% on property rates. 'The threshold for qualification has been extended to five times the value of the SASSA Old Age Pension Grant, which equates to approximately R11 000.' MLM reveals that it has procured two high-speed vehicles for crime prevention purposes. 'We have made provision for the employment of law enforcement officers who will drive these high-speed vehicles, working alongside our CCTV cameras and other safety mechanisms to curb criminal activities in our municipality. The rollout of CCTV cameras in the Western and Northern regions has commenced, while a significant portion of the budget is being used to maintain existing cameras.' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Eyewitness News
22-05-2025
- General
- Eyewitness News
Villagers throw rubbish in rivers as municipality battles waste crisis
Families in rural parts of Makhado Municipality in Limpopo are burning rubbish in pits or throwing it into rivers because they do not have access to refuse removal services. Makhado Municipality includes four towns — Louis Trichardt, Vleifontein, Waterval and Dzanani — and more than 200 villages. According to the 2022 Census, it has 140,338 households. According to the 2024/25–2026/27 Draft Integrated Development Plan (IDP), nearly 69% of rural households rely on their own refuse dumps, while more than 12,500 households have no rubbish dump at all. Families in villages often dig pits to bury and later burn their waste. Others dispose of refuse — including nappies and plastic — in nearby rivers and streams. Villagers fear this could pollute the water and lead to outbreaks of infectious diseases. They are also concerned that the burning waste releases toxic fumes and pollutants into the air. In Chavani, municipal trucks only collect rubbish along the main tarred road, bypassing homes. Rose Maluleke, who runs a salon near Elim Shopping Complex, said the problem was affecting local businesses. 'Municipal workers just burn the rubbish instead of removing it. It comes from nearby shops and the smell makes it hard to work,' she said. 'We're asking the municipality to provide large dustbins.' Desire Matjia from Madabani village said walking to the area's only dustbin, more than two kilometres away, was not feasible. 'We dig pits in our yards and burn the waste when they fill up because of the smell,' she said. Harry Netshia, headman of Vari village, said they had repeatedly been promised bins, but nothing had materialised. 'The municipal truck has never come to our village. Most of us either burn rubbish in pits or dump it in streams. Disposable nappies are the worst. There's just no support from the municipality,' he said. Municipal spokesperson Mpho Rathando said efforts were underway to expand collection routes and promote responsible practices. He said the municipality was exploring partnerships to improve waste infrastructure. To curb illegal dumping, Rathando said the municipality was increasing law enforcement and running awareness and cleanup campaigns. 'All reported illegal dumping sites are cleared within 48 hours.' Waste collection points were also being established. He confirmed that 12,500 households still lack formal refuse collection. 'Each year, skip bins are placed in rural villages. Waste is collected weekly,' said Rathando. This article first appeared on GroundUp. Read the original, co-published with The Mirror here.
