Essential services delivered to communities despite challenges – Mayor Mothogwane
DISENYANE – Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality Mayor, Molaudi Mothogwane, has announced that despite all challenges, the local municipality has managed to deliver most of the essential services to communities.
Mayor Mothogwane was speaking during the State of the Municipality Address (SoMa) at Disenyane Sports Ground in the local municipality’s ward 13 on Thursday 27 May 2021.
The Mayor said the local municipality has managed to reduce the gravel roads backlog and increased the surfaced roads by 11.29km. The gravel roads backlog is now sitting at 1011.3km and the surfaced roads length has increased to 146.50km.
Mothogwane said that the total revenue of R350 million has been budgeted for in the 2021/2022 financial year, which is an average decrease of 2 percent from 2020/2021 so as to enable the municipality to fund its operating and capital expenditure.
He added that there were two road constructions funded by RAL named the Tshikanoshi-Keerom and Phokoane to Mogaladi and the Moloto Road, funded by SANRAL, from which the Marble Hall town would be benefiting.
Mothogwane further said that all villages have been connected to the ESKOM grid and that the allocation for the year was for ESKOM to complete only 186 connections divided into four villages that was postponed in the previous year in Mogalatsane, Morarela Ext, Mamphokgo Ext and Mohlalaotwane. ESKOM completed a total of 779 connections.
“The electrification backlog was 867 at the end of 2019/2020. Twenty-two residential areas had been provided with some public lighting and the municipality is maintaining the public lighting,” said Mothogwane.
He further said that currently, there were two new sports complexes that were still under construction but nearing completion. The sports complexes are at Moganyaka-Leeuwfontein and Mamphokgo villages.
Mtohogwane added that although water supply was the responsibility of Sekhukhune District Municipality, the local municipality was trying b all means to work hand in hand with all villages to check if they have water supply challenges.
“In case of water challenges, we liaise with relevant water authority to assist our communities. Thus far, water is a major community challenge,” added Mothogwane.
He further said that the community works programme remained the biggest government initiative which provided employment safety net and created more than 1000 job opportunities across the municipality.
On the municipality’s bursary programme, Mayor Mothogwane said the total amount paid since 2016 to 2021 was R3 777 300.39 for bursaries.
