KOUGA MUNICIPALITY Governance Highlights Volume III JULY TO DECEMBER 2019 Good Governance through Service Excellence LEADERSHIP POLITICAL LEADERSHIP Front: Speaker Hattingh Bornman, Executive Mayor Horatio Hendricks and Mayoral Committee member Daniel Benson (Community Services). Back: Mayoral Committee members Brenton Williams (Finance), Freddy Campher (Infrastructure & Engineering), Frances Baxter (LED & Tourism), Bryan Dhludhlu (Corporate Services) and Ben Rheeder (Planning & Development). ▪ Kouga Local Municipality is situated in the Sarah Baartman District in the western half of the Eastern Cape Province. ▪ It consists of nine towns: Jeffreys Bay, St Francis Bay, Cape St Francis, Oyster Bay, Humansdorp, Patensie, Hankey, Loerie, and Thornhill. ▪ It has a population of 112 941, according to the Community Survey of 2016. ▪ The Kouga Council consists of 29 councillors – 15 ward and 14 Proportional Representative (PR) councillors ▪ It is headed by Executive Mayor Horatio Hendricks and Speaker Hattingh Bornman. ▪ They are supported by a Mayoral Committee of six. ▪ The administrative arm of the municipality is headed by Municipal Manager Charl du Plessis and five directors, responsible for the running of the following directorates: ➢ Corporate Services, Finance, Community Services, Infrastructure & Engineering, and Planning, Development & Tourism. Good Governance through Service Excellence1 1 FROM ZERO TO HERO A Turn-Around Strategy That’s Working ▪ Kouga Municipality BEFORE AUGUST 2016 has undergone a massive turn-around over the past 40 months. ▪ Since August 2016, Kouga has become one of the best-run municipalities in South Africa under the leadership of Executive Mayor POST AUGUST 2016 Horatio Hendricks and his predecessor, the late Elza van Lingen. ▪ The recent refurbishment of an old tractor by the municipality’s revamped Fleet section perfectly demonstrates the Only 4% of the municipal fleet was fully transformation this operational before the 2016 municipal once dysfunctional elections. Thanks to the new Counciil’s Fleet municipality has Replacement Plan, at least 90% of municipal undergone. vehicles are now on the road on a daily basis. Good Governance through Service Excellence 2 STRONGER ROAD NETWORK Connecting communities ▪ Pre-planning work on Gravel roads being the extension of Duine graded in Loerie. Road, Jeffreys Bay, has started, including the Traffic Impact Assessment and specialist Environmental studies. ▪ New speed bumps and street name boards were installed ▪ Gravel roads were graded in the Gamtoos area, including, Loerie, Thornhill and Patensie ▪ A new pump was installed at Duine Road, Aston Bay, to take stormwater away to the ocean Corporate Services Portfolio Councillor Bryan Dhludhlu at some of the new street name boards in Pellsrus. A new speed bump in Jeffreys Bay. Good Governance through Service Excellence 3 ROADS THAT ARE BUILT TO LAST Plastic-infused eco road a first for Africa Kouga Mayor Horatio Hendricks officially opens Africa’s first ▪ Africa’s first eco-friendly, “plastic” road plastic-infused eco road. was opened in Jeffreys Bay in December 2019. ▪ The revolutionary new approach to the tarring of roads has the potential to increase the lifespan of roads and reduce maintenance costs while also combating plastic pollution and climate change. The new tar layer includes plastic ▪ The use of recycled plastic (1,8m plastic pellets that help strengthen the road. bags per kilometre of road) and the manufacturing of the plastic pellets for the tar mix also open up economic opportunities for communities ▪ A 300m section of Woltemade Street was tarred with the plastic-infused mix. Good Governance through Service Excellence 46 STRONGER ROAD NETWORK War on Potholes LEFT: Eric ▪ 10 801 potholes were Bezuidenhout puts a new repaired from July to pothole filler to December 2019 the test. ▪ An additional 70 temporary workers were employed to fix roads and 32 BACKLOG: permanent staffers It is estimated completed intensive that at least R500m is training on road needed to maintenance. repair Kouga’s ▪ Two new asphalt road network. cutters were also added to the municipal arsenal to improve the quality of repairs ▪ A new pothole filler, similar to shotcrete used in mines, was put to the test as part of the municipality’s search for a more permanent solution to pothole-ridden streets ▪ Various roads and ABOVE: Kouga Speaker Hattingh Bornman (left), Mayor parking areas were Horatio Hendricks (second right) and acting foreman David also resealed across September welcome Elton Prins and Lumkile Mbeki to the war on potholes. the region Good Governance through Service Excellence 5 CUTTING-EDGE SEWER PLANTS Kruisfontein ▪ Built at cost of R85,6 million, the Kruisfontein Waste Water Treatment Works was officially opened in November 2019. ▪ It incorporated 34 000 ABOVE: Kouga Executive Mayor Horatio Hendricks (centre) cuts hours of local labour the ribbon at the new Kruisfontein Waste Water Treatment ▪ Four unemployed local Works. Looking on are Tamara Makeleni from Tecroveer, ward councillor Wilma Coenraad, councillors Timothy Jantjes and residents were trained Melanie Biko, Tecroveer president Zack van den Berg and project to operate the plant director Michael van den Berg. and are now employed full time. ▪ The plant will open up precious development opportunities for greater Kruisfontein ▪ At least 5 800 households are expected to benefit. Sea Vista upgrade nears completion ▪ The Sea Vista Waste Water Treatment Works will be opened early in 2020. ▪ The plant was built at a cost of R53-million. ▪ It will benefit at least 2 000 households on completion. Upcoming bulk sewer projects ▪ Upgrade of the KwaNomzamo and Patensie Waste Water Treatment Works Good Governance through Service Excellence 63 ELECTRICITY Network upgrades ▪ Tenders have gone out for the upgrade of the electrical network at Humansdorp and St Francis. Additional public lighting has been installed at crime hot spots to improve the safety and Forty young people have been doing their security of communities. This included the first electrical and plumbing apprenticeships at Kouga public lighting for Donkerhoek and flood lights Municipality. at the entrance to Vaaldam in Humansdorp. First-time water for Hankey settlement More than 100 households at the informal settlement of Mountain View at Hankey have access to water near their homes for the first time. Four communal taps were installed at the settlement and connected to the main water supply. Good Governance through Service Excellence 7 WATER SECURITY Holding back Day Zero Jeffreys Bay upgrades ▪ The Jeffreys Bay Water Treatment Works is being upgraded. ❑ A new water tower has been erected. ❑ Four new borehole pumps and new filters have been installed. ❑ The project is ongoing. ▪ Pressure Release Valves have been installed at Aston Bay, Pellsrus and Oceanview. The reduced working water pressure results in less pipe breakages. ▪ New air valves have also been A new water tower has been erected at the installed in Aston Bay. Jeffreys Bay Water Treatment Works. Water Conservation & Demand Management ▪ Ongoing over the whole of the Kouga region ▪ Includes repair of leaks, retrofitting, bulk water meter installation and water meter readings In progress ▪ The upgrade of the Kruisfontein Water Treatment Works and the development of The old, leaky pipe bridge crossing at groundwater for St Francis at Rebelsrus Impala Road, Jeffreys Bay, has been and Mostertshoek are in progress. replaced. Good Governance through Service Excellence 8 WATER SECURITY Holding back Day Zero Patensie pipe replacement ▪ This project entails the replacement of the bulk water supply line from the Patensie Water Treatment Works to Ramaposa Village. ▪ It also includes the replacement of the water reticulation in citrus areas. ▪ Set for completion in March 2020. Patensie boreholes ▪ This project, due to start in 2020, entails the development of two boreholes in Patensie, as well as the Two viable boreholes were drilled at Patensie during 2019 and are due for installation of a rising main to the development in 2020. Patensie Water Treatment Works. Hankey bulk and internal pipe replacement ▪ This project included the replacement of bulk supply lines from the Gamtoos Canal extraction point to the Hankey Water Treatment Works, as well as the replacement of the bulk supply line to the Centerton reservoirs and replacement of much of Hankey’s water reticulation network. New Hankey borehole supply from Soetkloof ▪ This project included installation of a gravity supply feed from boreholes in Soetkloof to the Hankey Water Treatment Works. ▪ Both Phase 1 and Phase 2 should be completed in March 2020. ▪ The installation of the boreholes will be done once the Eskom electrical supply is in place. Good Governance through Service Excellence 9 8 WATER SECURITY Safeguarding infrastructure HANKEY ▪ Almost R1,5-million was spent on safeguarding the water infrastructure from July to December 2019. ▪ Fencing and gates JEFFREYS BAY were installed at the Hankey Water Treatment Works. ▪ Fencing and gates were installed at the Jeffreys Bay water reservoirs. ▪ Fencing and gates installed at the Loerie pump station. LOERIE Good Governance through Service Excellence 10 PUBLIC FACILITIES UPGRADED Fresh look for Kouga parks KABELJOUS PARK ▪ Ablution blocks upgraded ▪ Braai stands repaired and new ones built ▪ Benches installed ▪ Ramp erected ▪ New waste containers PELLSRUS PARK ▪ Ablution facilities upgraded ▪ Braai stands repaired ABOVE: The Patensie Park has been