MLM Council takes pertinent service delivery imperatives
Jane Furse
The Ordinary Council Meeting of Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality (MLM), held on Tuesday 31 October, took stock on a myriad of pertinent service delivery imperatives, including the historic improved municipal grading milestone.
Lemson Moropjane, MLM Spokesperson, said the council resolutions were legislated under Section 18 (2) of local government, Municipal Structures Act No 117 of 1998.
“Council gave way on the consensus amongst others overwhelmingly, approves the grading of the municipality from Grade 3 to Grade 4, which automatically allows the upward adjustment of salaries and benefits of different members of the municipal council,” he said.
Moropjane said the resolution is part of the notice, promulgated by the minister of the Department of Corporative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (COGHTA) in August 2023, which migrate the municipality to a better grading system owing to the best strategies and tactics employed, to enhance and accelerate revenue generation.
“The council, through the Mayor, Cllr Minah Bahula, also applauds the forward thinking and the leadership prowess of the administration led by the Municipal Manager Ronald Moganedi for the achievement amongst other milestones, the once-off payment towards the municipal coffers from the department of Public Works, resulting from property rates on a number of business buildings housed within Makhuduthamaga. However, the council is dared to re-engineer and create other revenue generating capacity schemes to maintain this level of grading, so as to avoid regression, detrimental to service delivery backlogs,” Moropjane explained.
He said, however, in the meantime, the council eagerly awaits concurrence from COGHSTA MEC before implementing the provision of this notice.
“As a sigh of further relief for councillors, the implementation of this grading takes effect and will be implemented, backdated to the 1st of July 2022,” informed Moropjane.
He added that the greater consideration of the achievements made in the first quarter performance report was also noted and took centre stage, with council approving in tandem, the considerable amount of key development priorities being made resulting in significant improvements on the lives of ordinary people.
“It is commendable that 98% target was achieved in the first quarter collectively. Of the six departments, only the Budget and Treasury Department fell short of reaching its planned 100%,” stated Moropjane.
He indicated that amongst them, is without doubt and hindrance, the smooth sailing implementation of the allocated conditional Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG). As it stands in the first quarter, much progress is being made in the construction of 5.8 km access road from Jane Furse RDP to Mogorwane, with the project standing at 51 % in just fewer than three months.
“Other milestone includes the construction of 2.6 km access road and bridge from Mathousands to Maraganeng Village which is also making a commendable and steady progress. The road network becomes central in the increment of social mobility and thereby promoting economic activities amongst communities. The council collectively approve this progress thus far. The people’s lives are indeed improving day by day,” he said.
Moropjane said also, the EPWP programme continues to be impactful on the livelihoods of communities and within the municipal boundaries, with progress being made on critical areas and job opportunities in the cleaning areas and traffic wardens that assist in easing congestion on municipal roads, created to reduce unemployment and improve lives.
“As it stands, no fruitless and unauthorised expenditures has been recorded in the first quarter and therefore positions the municipality to achieve its maiden clean administration score card, a dream the Municipal Manager, Mr Moganedi ponders upon daily,” he said.
Furthermore, Moropjane said the council has also engaged and agreed on the progress made thus far, on the functionality of the Local AIDS Council as chaired by the Mayor at this level, and whose aims and objectives is to coordinate and advise the municipal council on policies related issues around HIV/AIDS.
Mayor Bahula, on behalf of the council collective, also congratulated Bishop Engenas Joseph Lekganyane, of the St Engenas Zion Christian Church (ZCC), who was conferred an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Theology on Saturday 28 October by the University of SA (UNISA) Chancellor, former President Thabo Mbeki, for his contribution and impeccable role in fostering social impact and spiritual peace and stability in communities.
