ADM Newsletter Dec 2007.Indd
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
December 2007 M a y o r ’ s Christmas Message The year 2007 will be remembered as a needs to be acknowledged that one can never 2008” and “safe sanitation to all by 2010”. the pit is full, the toilets can be dismantled and challenging year for the Amathole District predict when a pipe will burst leading to a water reassembled at a new pit in a matter of minutes. Municipality. For this is the year that the ADM, outage. We would, however, like to reassure Currently ADM has five (5) Bucket Eradication The ADM also intends doing away with the as the Water Services Authority of the district our citizens that the ADM is putting all available Projects (BEP) within its area of jurisdiction, middle man, and dealing directly with the service with the exception of Buffalo City, instituted the resources together to ensure that people have these being the following: providers, who will also manage the process of internal option of providing water and sanitation access to clean and safe drinking water. implementation on site. services to its communities. For the first time, • 296 buckets in Seymour the ADM also centralized its billing services for As the Water Services Authority for the district Rest assured, exciting times lie ahead and water services in the district. The ADM has had with the exception of Buffalo City Municipality, • 5099 buckets in Bhofolo and Newtown the ADM is pulling all its resources together to absorb almost 500 new members of staff from the ADM’s target population for water and to ensure a better life for all its citizens. the local municipalities and also the Department sanitation is 975,086 people. Notwithstanding • 450 buckets at Centane of Water Affairs and Forestry in exercising this the abovementioned challenges, the ADM has Christmas is a special time of the year when service. Many of these staff are not familiar improved the access to water and sanitation • 1275 buckets at Komga Ward 1; and family and friends meet up over the summer with the ADM’s corporate values and work services for many citizens of the district. holidays to catch up on family news, happenings, ethics. At the same time, the ADM has had to Currently 76.74% of our target population now • 3432 buckets at Bedford and Adelaide events such as weddings, and generally have a grapple with many challenges of water outages enjoy RDP standard water and 25.91% of the relaxing and fun time together. caused by floods, drought, burst pipes, broken population enjoy RDP standard sanitation. I am proud to report that the ADM has down pumps, and aging infrastructure whilst eradicated 6,091 buckets thus far and is on For some though, it is also a time of sadness, the demand for new services is ever-increasing. We face enormous challenges in this sector. Our target to completely eliminate this backlog by when they become depressed in realizing that Currently the ADM operates almost 600 water estimates reveal that if we are to meet national 21 December 2007. The completion of these a loved one is no longer there to share the systems throughout the district. Alternative government’s targets of providing water to all by projects will ensure that the dignity of some happiness, of madness when they overindulge water sources have had to be found in areas 2008 and sanitation to all by 2010, we shall need 66,312 people is restored. in liquor, drugs and unprotected sex, and thus where borehole pumps have run dry and plans funding of R1,55 billion. Funding confirmed in put others’ lives at risk, and yet others undergo have had to be put in place to improve the the next 3 year capital programme amounts to Because of the huge sanitation backlog, the ADM a traumatic time of grief when loved ones have infrastructure in others to improve the carrying R450 million, leaving a shortfall of some R1,1 has investigated various options for speeding lost their lives in the road carnage that has capacity. In some areas we have found billion. up the process of ensuring sanitation for all by unfortunately also become part of the annual ourselves carting water for communities on a 2010. Early in 2008, tenders will be issued for South African holiday scene. Let’s spare a daily basis. The challenges experienced over the past year a unique toilet design containing lightweight thought for those less fortunate than ourselves. have driven home the need to develop a water cement panels that can easily be assembled in We have realized that some of these problems services turnaround strategy aimed at improving a matter of minutes. We wish all our citizens a peaceful and joyful have made a dent in the ADM’s image as a the level of service delivery in this sector. festive season. Happy holidays, travel safely district municipality where service excellence Community members will be invited to register and please remember to ARRIVE ALIVE! has always been the norm. We acknowledge The ADM has adopted a two-pronged approach with the ADM for a toilet subsidy. They will be the problems that have occurred and apologise when addressing the water services (Water required to dig their own pit and the materials Please take every precaution to have a safe to our communities for any inconvenience and Sanitation) backlogs: The first one is to and supplies will be provided to them so that holiday. they may have experienced over the past few ensure RDP standards and the second, interim these toilets can be erected on their own months. However, despite our best efforts, it programme, is to ensure “safe water to all by premises. The system is designed so that once God bless you all! Currently 76.74% of our target population now enjoy RDP standard water and 25.91% of the population enjoy RDP standard sanitation. Bucket system on target to be eradicated by 21 December 2007. 01 Water Issues and FAQ’s on Water Billing ADM UNVEILS ITS WATER SERVICES and by year end (30 June 2008) will only TURNAROUND STRATEGY have 15% of our communities not served with basic water services; The Amathole District Municipality (ADM) was assigned the responsibility to be the Water 2. ADM is one of a handful of district munici- Services Authority in the Amathole District for palities who has successfully managed to the local municipal areas of Mbhashe, Mnquma, spend 100% of its Municipal Infrastructure Great Kei, Amahlathi, Ngqushwa, Nkonkobe and Grant (MIG) funding for three (3) consecu- Nxuba as from 1 July 2004. tive years – these funds are largely used to provide the basic level of services to our For the subsequent 2-year period (1 July customers; 2004 to 30 June 2006), ADM had an agreement signed with all these local municipalities that 3. ADM has now developed a sustainable they would continue rendering the water and affordable sanitation system which can services they were doing at that time in their be erected in a matter of minutes and at a respective areas of jurisdiction, for the district very attractive cost. It has also gained the to ready itself to take over this major function, co-operation of communities who are keen serving about a million people with essential to work together in digging their own pits water and sanitation services. In Amahlathi as their part in contributing towards cutting ADM took over the existing contract between the costs on the programme and speeding the local municipality and the WSSA (a private up service delivery – other District Munici- company) to continue rendering water services palities in the country have expressed an in Stutterheim. interest in this model; PROGRAMME TO ERADICATE BACKLOGS into consideration the financial constraints in the ADM then immediately embarked on a 3-year Medium Term Expenditure Framework. 4. ADM is in the process of engaging the comprehensive study (in terms of Section 78 of 1. WATER Some hand pumps and roundabout pumps services of the Amathole Water more ex- the Municipal Systems Act) to determine the best have also been donated by NGOs, which have tensively to improve its preventative main- way of rendering the service to its consumers. ADM has managed over the last few years to been well received by ADM and the beneficiary tenance programmes in rendering more aggressively reduce the backlog of water services communities and have contributed in the race to sustainable water services, with reduced The study was concluded in mid 2006 and in its area of jurisdiction – at present the people meet the 2008 targets. interruptions, to its consumers. it had been resolved at the Council meeting held without at least a basic level of water is 23 % on 18th August 2006 that ADM would render this (77% have services) and our performance target 2. SANITATION 5. ADM has recently levered funds from the service as a Water Provider for the whole district by June 2008 is to connect an additional 97 500 national coffers to speed up delivery of (with the exception of Buffalo City) but will also people with basic water services to bring this 2.1 Bucket eradication bulk services through the allocations from do so by utilizing the services of the Amatola number down to only 15% still to be connected. the Regional Bulk Fund. These funds will Water Board where necessary to strengthen its The national targets are to reach this milestone ADM has taken a strong lead in eradicating assist the ADM in doing a feasibility study, own capacity in rendering a quality service. by December 2008. ADM realizes that such a this humiliating system which erodes the dignity of developing a technical report and designs target would not be realistically possible due our customers.