State of the District Address by Executive Mayor of Gert Sibande District Municipality, Cllr Muzi Chirwa

State of the District Address by Executive Mayor of Gert Sibande District Municipality, Cllr Muzi Chirwa.

30 May 2019

The Honourable Speaker of the District Clr MJ Nkosi

The Honourable Chief Whip of the District Clr SGT Nkosi

All The Honourable Executive Mayors of all local municipalities

All the Honourable Chief whips, Speakers of Local Municipalities

The Honourable MMCs of the District and local Municipalities

All the Honourable Clrs of the District & Local Municipalities

Chairperson of Local House of Traditional Leaders: iNkosi JV Nhlapho and all the Traditional leaders – Bondabezitha kanye noNdlunkulu

Deputy Chairperson of District Aids Council -Mr Mandla Thabethe

All the Religious leaders

Municipal Manager Mr CA Habile and MM from local Municipalities

All the General Managers and Directors of Municipal Departments in the District and Local Municipalities

Leadership from SALGA and COGTA

Officials from all Government Departments and Parastatals

All Officials of GSDM and Local Municipalities

Business leaders

Ward Committees and Community Development Workers

Leadership of the Civil Society

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good Morning, Sanibonani, Dumelang, Lotshani.

INTRODUCTION

Honourable Speaker, I am very grateful and truly honoured to be afforded this platform to address the citizens of Gert Sibande District and at the same to have the opportunity to lead the District. As the leadership collective, we have side by side steered this institution towards the expected direction.

Hon Speaker, Today, we highlight our journey of the 2018/2019 as we are about to end the Financial Year and simultaneously table the future plans of the District through the Tabling of the 2019/2020 IDP and Budget.

The year 2019 is a very important year in our political calendar. It is on the 27 April 1994 when our people in their millions, for the first time exercised their long denied democratic right to vote, went to all the poll stations to vote for the 1st democratic government. It is in that time when our people chose freedom over oppression. It is in 1994 the people’s choice was attained. The people of South Africa for the past 25 years have put their trust on the African National Congress and the people voted for a better life for all. Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela became the 1st black democratically elected president, which marked the freedom of all the people of South Africa across racial lines. Having achieved our freedom and democracy, Nelson Mandela said “Let freedom reign. The sun shall never set on so a glorious human achievement”. His words remain true till today and we witness the maturing of our democracy.

The Gert Sibande District is part and parcel of celebrating the 25th year of our freedom. Like I use to say, this freedom was not achieved free. Many lives were lost, our people were brutally murdered, tortured and some were buried alive and some have

2 disappeared till today and remain unknown in terms of their whereabouts.

It is through this background that we take this opportunity and salute our people, who on the 08th of May 2019 went to polls under the democratic dispensation and put their confidence in the ANC led government. Our people have spoken. Our people have raised issues they want us to deal with the following:

 Provision of sustainable basic service to all.  Fighting crime, fraud and corruption.  Creating job opportunities for all.  Growing the Economy.  Fighting poverty, and inequality.

In the same spirit of Thuma-Mina, I take this time to congratulate the election of the wew President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, the Speaker of the National Assembly Ms Thandi Modise, the Deputy Speaker Mr Lechesa Tsenoli, the Chairperson of the NCOP Mr Amos Masondo and his Deputy Ms Sylvia Lucas. The Chief Whip of the majority party Ms Pemmy Majodina.

Let us congratulate the appointment of the Deputy President Mr David Mabuza, appointment of all Ministers by the President.

Let me also hasten to also congratulate the Election of the Premier of the Province Ms Refilwe Tsipane, The Speaker Ms Busi Shiba, the Deputy Speaker Mr Vusi Mkhatshwa and the newly sworn-in MECs of Mpumalanga Province. We also congratulate all men and women of this land, especially Youth and Women who made in to the National and Provincial Parliaments.

The people have spoken, and the people have put their trust in the government led by the ANC, we dare not fail them. As the District, together with the local municipalities we are putting more effort to ascertain that the needs of the people are speedily addressed, and we do this, working together with National and provincial governments.

Let us also congratulate the first black woman who, against all odds, successfully summited the Mount Everest Ms Saray Khumalo. Malibongwe!!

In this journey, we remain the ambassadors for the unemployed. We remain the ambassadors for the farm dwellers and farm workers. We will continue to be ambassadors for the development of small businesses and cooperatives. We will continue to be ambassadors for the restoration of land to our people. We will continue to be ambassadors for equal access to clean Water, Decent Sanitation, electricity and roads. We will remain true ambassadors of freedom and equality for all in the District.

During the month of May we celebrated two major events. The Workers day on the 1st of May – which marks the achievement of the workers struggle and the Africa Day on the 25th May which coincided with the inauguration of President Ramaphosa. On this day the peoples of the continent Africa, celebrated the unity and Development of the continent and generally agreeing that Africa must compete economically alongside with the other continents of the world as equals.

INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATION AND BUILDING A CARING AND RESILIENT ADMINISTRATION

When we came into office in 2016, the leadership, both administratively and politically committed to build a caring, responsive and resilient administration. To that effect, the leadership of the District worked very much hard to achieve the objects of local government as contained in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.

We have built strong and competent administration. This institution we ensured that it is free from maladministration, fraud and corruption.

We were able to radically re-shape and re-direct the vision and mission of the District, to be more responsive to the people’s voices and to be aligned to the powers and functions of a District

Municipality. We have thus, ensured that Gert Sibande is a real District. This is a District.

Therefore, it is befitting for me to take this time to appreciate the work of the Political leadership – the Speaker, Chief Whip, MPAC Chairperson, all MMCs, Section 79 Chairpersons and Committee members and all the Councillors. I must also thank the administrative leadership of the District, the Municipal Manager Mr Habile, all the HODs, Senior Managers and the entire GSDM team for their support towards the successful implementation of the ANC manifesto and the manner in which the administration has been performing. In the same way I want to appreciate the sound working relationship with our local municipalities – the Executive Mayors, Municipal Managers, entire political and administrative leadership al local level. We also appreciate the support we have been enjoying from our people and all structures of the society. Let me also appreciate the good working relationship with Amakhosi and Abafundisi and Business people of this great District.

HIGH LEVEL ACHIEVEMENTS – 2018/19

 Clean Audit

Honourable Speaker, when we first came into office during financial year 2015/16, GSDM received a regression from unqualified audit opinion to qualified audit opinion from the Auditor General. This was an awakening call to us the incoming leadership to urgently consider a Turnaround Strategy and commit to acceptable and clean governance. The subsequent report of the Auditor General for 2016/17 Financial Year, the GSDM improved to Unqualified audit opinion which was an indication that we were on the right direction, but more work was still to be done. Therefore, it is my greatest pleasure, honourable members, ladies and gentlemen, to confirm that we have attained the long awaited and desired audit outcome which in the Financial Year 2017/18 the Auditor General, unequivocally granted the GSDM the Clean Audit status.

This means that to date the GSDM runs a credible political and administration governance!!!! This accomplishment we must improve and sustain, and live by it, even in times of the political leadership change.

 Expanded Public Works Programme

The National Department of Public Works reported during the November 2018 EPWP Summit that: GSDM obtained position one (1) of all Districts Municipalities in the country on the combination of Jobs Created and Full Time Equivalents. Lets thank all the local municipalities for their contribution in this work.

 Jet Patcher (Pothole patching truck):

We purchase the state-of-the-art pothole closing machine. In Mpumalanga only owned by the GSDM.

 Lusushwane

In partnership with the Department of Water and Sanitation and Chief Albert Luthuli municipality, NamaKhosi ( ka Duma, Emfumbeni, Enikwakuyengwa, etc) as part of the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant programme, the Lusushwane Bulk Water Supply scheme project amounting to R157m was completed and handed over to the communities of Bettysgoed, Smithfield, Aankanst, Pampoen, Hartbeeskop, Oshoek and Lochiel on 25 May 2019. This bulk water supply project addresses the water supply challenges faced by the communities and will ensure improved and reliable water supply to the communities. The project entails the extension of the raw water abstraction channel to meet the required 2033 design flows, new steel reservoirs and pipelines. In addition, a number of youth

6 members from the surrounding communities benefitted on job created and skill transfer through this particular project.  In Dipaleseng we are implementing huge water and sanitation projects through the RBIG.  In Msukaligwa : Sheepmoore water project is in the last phase. Delays were caused by water license requirements.  Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme – the long awaited state of-the-art, green building is practical complete and has been handed over to Pixley Ka Isaka Seme local municipality.

 Municipal Support

The District established a Municipal Support Unit as per the commitment made in 2017/18 FY. This unit, comprises of financial experts to provide support to the local municipalities to improve financial management. This initiative is not only cost effective but also ensures that financial capacity to the local municipal staff is continuously built. The unit works on permanent basis.

As part of our Clean Audit drive, not only for the District but including all our local municipalities in the District, we have assisted the following municipalities by deploying the 3 senior municipal support staff: Msukaligwa, Mkhondo and Dipaliseng local municipalities. We have further appointed independent consultants to review Annual Financial Statements (AFS) of Dipaliseng, Govan Mbeki LM and also for Gert Sibande.

As part of our municipal support initiative, Gert Sibande launched an Annual Performance Management System training targeting all municipalities in order to empower municipalities in this area of work which is critical for each municipality to be credible. Our future plan is that the training will take place each

year and will help improve the status of performance management in municipalities.

In addition, GSDM deployed five (5) Young Professional Town & Regional Planners in Msukaligwa Local Municipality during February and March 2019 to deal with the backlog of land development applications dating back to year 2010. A total of fifty (50) land applications have been processed and currently being taken through necessary approval committees.

 Laboratory

We continue to maintain the good accreditation status of testing water in our laboratory. We are sustaining this achievement. In this regard, the District has invested R3.8 million for procuring new instruments to conduct analysis in the laboratory. We are planning to collaborate with the Department of Health in Mpumalanga through the Service Level Agreement (SLA) to generate and provide data of potential diarrhoea threat areas for us to plan and implement preventative measures in advance, informed by credible water quality samples data. This is work in progress. In this regard I want to request municipalities to threat the laboratory sample reports seriously and attend to red-flagged water issues.

 Water Bottling

In the current Financial Year, the services of the Laboratory were expanded beyond sampling and testing. A water bottling installation was commissioned at the laboratory in order to reduce the cost of procuring bottled water external. The district is now producing quality bottled water at a far lower cost. Currently we are using our bottled water internal, the plan is to distribute GSDM branded water to other government institutions such as Hospitals.

PROGRESS – IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2018/19 AGENDA AND 2019/2020 BUDGET

OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER

 Public participation

The office of the Speaker remains key in ensuring the involvement and participation of all stakeholders in municipal service delivery activities. We have ensured that we live up to our vision which is mainly focussed on the importance of our people. The programmes run by the office of the Speaker include the:

a) Taking Council to the people – We have been to all the 7 local municipalities in sitting our Council meetings. b) Voter Education – We have been to all 7 local municipalities. c) Training ward committees (R600 000 budget for 2018/19). d) Budget/IDP Consultation Meetings – have all been done in all 7 local municipalities. We have heard our people. e) R3.2m was budgeted in 2018 Financial Year.

An amount of R 2.1 mil is budgeted for the Office of the Speaker for 2019/20 Financial Year.

OFFICE OF THE MUNICIPAL MANAGER

 Communication

Communication between Gert Sibande and all its stakeholders especially the communities on the ground is of utmost importance. It has been our goal to ensure that all people of Gert Sibande are able to access and receive information. All platforms including social media have been exhausted to ensure convenient and cheaper methods to access to information about the services we offer. We are available on Facebook and twitter. The Gert Sibande website is also functional. For every young person unable to call or email our offices, we are able to take messages on Facebook and our response rate is applaudable. Loud hailing which is championed by the Office of the Speaker

by use of the seven public participation bakkies is also another form of communication used to its maximum. This ensures that there is no area in Gert Sibande District we are not able to reach communities. The sound system which had been a challenge was since addressed.

We had indicated the plan to discontinue the glossy quarterly newsletter to be replaced by a more cost effective newsletter in a form of a newspaper called Insight. To date, 45 000 copies of the newspaper have been distributed and the reach has improved dramatically. The additional 15 000 copies will be distributed at the end of the 4th quarter ending 30 June 2019.

We must also take this time and appreciate the three community radio stations in the District with whom we have established a good working relationship. The local radio stations have ensured our maximum and effective reach to our people. The community radio stations are Ligwa FM, Mkhondo FM and VOC Fm. Working with them also allowed us an opportunity to support them financially. We have invested R100 000 each for unlimited services during the 2018/19FY which is very cost effective compared to the service they render. In the next financial year will see this arrangement improved and allowing local municipalities, access to the free airtime paid for by the GSDM.

The District is currently reviewing its communication strategy and the development of its communication plan for the 2019/20 financial year in order to improve on its effective and maximum reach to the communities of Gert Sibande.

Amount of R 1.6 mil for 2019/2020 for the Promotion of the District.

CORPORATE SERVICES

OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE MAYOR

The Office of the Executive Mayor remains the strategic centre of coordination and implementation of the District work.

Mayoral Izimbizo

During the 2018/19 Financial Year, we had planned to have Izimbizo. Izimbizo were held in Msukaligwa -Lothair, Mkhondo – Ward 6, were held. Imbizo in Dipaleseng remained postponed.

The Executive Mayor attends all the Imimmemo – Traditional Ceremonies by our Traditional Leaders. This has sustained good working relations with ondabezitha to promote ubuntu and our culture.

The Office of the EM has been allocated an Amount of R8.1m for 2019/2020 to execute various programs.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF WHIP

The Office is tasked to conduct overall monitoring of the performance of deployed political leadership and ensures vigilance. The office is also tasked to conduct research on a variety of matters.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF WHIP In Financial Year 2019/2020 the office of the Chief Whip is allocated R 400 000 (FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND RAND).

IN SOURCING OF SECURITY SERVICES

In response to our commitment to have the security services of the District in-sourced, we have made significant progress. In Dipaleseng already the GSDM Security services is in place. We are in the processing of ensuring that on the 1st June 2019 the Head Office and Carolina Disaster Management centre is also in- sourced. This will improve the lives of the families of those who will be appointed. An amount of R14, 3 Million has been budgeted for Corporate Service Department for the financial year 2019/2020

COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES

During the 2018/19 Financial Year, the District as mandated to provide Municipal Health & Environmental Services including Disaster Management Services was able to procure equipment to enhance the services of MH&ES which assisted in the prevention and detection of listeriosis outbreak , water quality monitoring / vector control /air quality monitoring and other communicable diseases monitoring at a budget of R1.2m.

More than seven hundred (700) trees were planted across the District as part of climate change mitigation in line with national policy and environmental summit. R400 000 was spent in this regard.

Four (4) enforcement cars were secured to increase law enforcement services and increase access services thus the increase in revenue from fines and compliance inspections.

The community and social services department was provided a bakkie and trailer to increase access, awareness and empowerment services to communities thus increase education on municipal health services. The total budget was R 600 000.

The district hosted Municipal Health and Environmental Youth summits that were aimed at community and stakeholder participation in the health and environmental affairs of the district including providing expect guidance by industry and tertiary institutions on improving provision of services, thus the establishment of the research unit to support local municipalities to provide quality services. In this regard, R750 000 was budgeted. The district has signed MOU’s with the following universities to support its research unit and partnership to evaluate the local municipality’s policy and service delivery operating procedures (University of Pretoria / Wits / Tshwane/ University of Johannesburg / Mangosuthu / Nelson Mandela / Cape/Peninsula.

The district is reviewing the disaster management framework to improve the state of readiness of local municipalities to respond to the eminent disaster risks that are posed at the local municipalities, thus the construction of disaster centre at Dr Pixley

Ka Isaka Seme LM and provision of equipment to empower emergency service

BUDGET FOR 2019/2020 COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SREVICES

 Climate Change Mitigation – R 500 000 for program  Law enforcement – R 100 000  X 3 Summits -R 600 000  MHS increase access to services R 1000 000  Waste Management Fleet [ tipper / loader ] improve landfill sides – R 5m  Biodiversity / Conservation & Environmental Pollution Control - R 300 000  Disaster Management [ relieve material & training] R 1,5m  Stakeholders and Community capacity building awareness programs R 100 000.

An amount of R8,8 Million has been budgeted for Community and Social Services Department for the financial year 2019/2020

PROVISION OF QUALITY BASIC SERVICES (ITS)

Water

During the State Of The District last year we reported on the RBIG water projects that we were busy implementing with, Lusushwane project was still at phase 1 and 50% completion. The project has 3 phases in total and all were completed by 30 March 2019.

During the begging of the financial year 2018/19, an amount of R42m was budgeted for the upgrading of the water treatment works at Balfour from 4Ml/d to 12Ml/d. Due to impressive performance of both the Engineer and the contractor, the Department of Water and Sanitation made an additional allocation of R36m which was recognised during the budget adjustment period. It is with pleasure to indicate that 75% of that allocation has been spent and 6Ml of the 12Ml/d would be commissioned between the end of June 2019 and July 2019. The variance of 25% of the allocation will be spent on material to be delivered on site as per the factory visit conducted by the GM infrastructure yesterday.

Hon Speaker the good news about this project is that 7 local subcontractors have benefited from this project at a total cost more than R3.8m for hiring of heavy and small plants. The project has also benefitted more than 110 local individuals over the period of 9 months and R2.6m has been spent on their salaries.

During this financial year the District also received an allocation of R27m for the upgrading of Balfour water treatment works. The budget was revised to R17m due to studies and tender processes which lasted longer than anticipated. To date R13m has been spent and the balance of R4m will be spent before month end of June 2019 once the materials have been delivered on site.

The District together with Msukaligwa LM made an intervention to deal with the long outstanding water crisis at Sheepmoor. The application was made from the Department of Water and Sanitation to have a take-off of water at the Vaal pipeline. The process of approval took longer but while awaiting for the approval we managed to install a package plant system of 1Ml/d as phase one of the project. Phase 2 we procured materials for the project but we could not start with physical construction until the approval was granted. We are pleased to indicate that finally the water use licence authority (WULA) was granted in March 2019 and we are currently on site performing activities of phase 3 which involves trenching and laying of cables. To date we have spent almost R7m of the project on both DWS allocation and internal co- funding.

Hon. Speaker you would recall that during the start of the financial year an amount of R10m was allocated for Msukaligwa RBIG to finalize the studies. The general feeling was that the allocation was high. Projections were revised and during budget adjustment the allocation was reduced to R5.1m. To date we spent R2.1m. We are currently on site drilling boreholes to complete the yield study which would confirm the wish of the Department and the Professionals to use ground water as the main source of water supply for the scheme.

Community facilities

Renovations of community halls we budgeted R2 mil for the financial year 2018/2019 we were able to renovate 3 community halls, Leandra Townhall in Govan Mbeki Municipality, Ezamokuhle community hall in Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Municipality and Diepdale community hall Chief Albert Luthuli Municipality. The main contractors were able to hire 20 subcontractors within those communities in total for the 3 halls. Expenditure was R2m for the financial 2018/2019 and for the year 2019/2020 we have budgeted R1 mil.

Roads Infrastructure

The District is continuing to assist local municipalities with road blading and re-gravelling. The yellow and heavy fleet spends a month in each municipality and this financial so far we have done 502 km.

We had a budget of R5, 5 mil for Pothole patching, R3 mil was used for asphalt and 1 mil for cooperatives and 1,5 mil for oosthuise street.

An amount of 3852 sqm was done by the co-operatives.

GSDM has procured a Jetpatcher (pothole patching machine) for R 3.2 mil it is also rotating with the municipalities spending a maximum of 2 weeks in a municipality. Since January the Jetpatcher has completed 2619 sqm.

The district has intervened in the 2 Morgenzon intersections by fixing the road temporarily while the department of public works roads and transport is still doing the designs to permanently fix the troublesome road. GSDM had a budget of R500 000 this current financial year for road maintenance and the road was done internally using local labour. An amount of R27, 4 Million has been budgeted for Infrastructure and technical services Department for the financial year 2019/2020.

PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

 Economic Development Summit

The District Municipality held its Economic Development Summit during September 2018. An action plan has since been developed and currently being implemented.

 Cooperatives

In January 2019, our Economic Development team visited all 7 local Municipalities to identify fundable co-ops against a set criteria. A total of 48 co-ops were identified. Some of the cooperatives supported include:

 GIS Revenue Collection

We have assisted Msukaligwa LM to link 6000 accounts with actual properties that were previously not linked. Now the municipality is able to identify and link their revenue to specific properties

 Planning Sector Plans

In an attempt to speedily deal with the plight of the Morgenzon community in Lekwa local Municipality, we have completed a geotechnical study for their new land fill site. Environmental study for the same site is in progress and also funded by GSDM. The community of Morgenzon is invited to a community participation meting for the environmental study on the new landfill site scheduled for 01st June 2019 at the Morgenzon community hall.

 District Joint Municipal Planning Tribunal (JMPT) GSDM is continuing with the coordination of the Joint Municipal Planning Tribunal (JMPT). To date a total of three residential townships have been approved with a total of 1, 387 housing opportunities.

The JMPT is planning to consider 4 more township establishment applications with a combined total of 1, 836 housing opportunities.

GSDM is assisting with subdivisions in Mkhondo LM that create a total of 78 housing opportunities.

In order to address the lack of burial sites for the residents of Perdekop in Dr. Pixley Ka Isaka Seme, the GSDM has funded and concluded a geotechnical report for a new cemetery site. This will allow the municipality to establish a new cemetery. An amount of R17,9 Million has been budgeted for the Department of Planning and Economic Development for the financial year 2019/2020.

THE PRESENTATION OF THE 2019/2020 MTERF (MEDIUM TERM EXPENDITURE AND REVENUE FRAMEWORK.

Honourable Speaker, it is my honour to present the Gert Sibande District Municipality’s MTREF Budget for the Financial Year 2019/2020 and the ensuing years.

The aim is to provide direction on the future plans the District aims to undertake during the subsequent financial years.

Emphasis will be on the immediate financial year 2019/20 which is summarised as follows:

BUDGET 2019/2020 REVENUE Interest Investments (19 887 720.00) Total Grants & Subsidies (309 871 000.00) DWS Funding - Msukaligwa-Co funding Income from Tariffs (2 921 360.00) Other Revenue (4 280 870.00)

Contribution accumulated Surplus (39 937 835.00) TOTAL REVENUE (376 898 785.00) EXPENDITURE Allocations to Municipalities 14 900 000.00 RBIG Allocations to Municipalities - Departmental Allocations 61 341 390.00 Admin of the Act 281 140 530.00 Capital Expenditure 19 516 865.00

TOTAL EXPENDITURE 376 898 785.00 SURPLUS/( DEFICIT) -

CONCLUSION

Honourable Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank all the Councilors of Gert Sibande District, The Executive mayors, Speakers, Chief Whips and MMCs and their wonderful spouses present here today, and for their support. Thanking all the members of the administration of Gert Sibande District led by Mr CA Habile for their tireless hard work at all time. I would like to thank my office led by the Chief of Staff for being committed and executing their duties diligently.

I appreciate the support by all government leadership at Provincial & National levels,

Thanking Amakhosi – for their love of the people and their support to us.

Thank the community at large for the significant inputs through the ward committees and other leaders of the organisations during the IDP and budget input process.

Thank the Speaker of this Council Clr MJ Nkosi for his stern leadership role in supporting our work. Thank the Chief Whip for his guidance and support provided to us every time.

Let me thank the staff in the Office of the Executive Mayor for tireless work and support.

I want to appreciate and thank the support and care I continue to receive from my family, especially my wife who has also taken time to grace this occasion.

Thank the African National Congress for guidance represented by the Regional Executive Committee members (REC).

Above All Thank God, the Almighty, My Shepherd– who guides and protects me through out all the situations as the Leaders of this Institution and all our collective successes are through His Mercy and Love.

Thanks to you all for making GERT SIBANDE GREAT!!

You are all thanked for your kindness.

Ngiyabonga Kealeboga Ndolivhuwa Thank You