Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya has unveiled a bold 100-day action plan aimed at transforming the metro's service delivery, tackling the R6.76bn Eskom debt, and boosting revenue collection under the banner 'Re A Spana'.
She presented the comprehensive strategy, which targets six key service delivery priorities, including financial stability and infrastructure development during a media briefing at Tshwane House yesterday.
Chief among the priorities was a plan to reduce a R6.76 billion owed to Eskom to at least R5bn by the end of January 2025.
Moya announced this week that the City was in talks with the Minister of Electricity Kgosientso Ramokgopa to deliberate on ways to service the Eskom debt.
She said yesterday that the City aims to stabilise finances by intensifying the revenue-collection campaign called Tshwane Ya Tima programme and improving billing measures.
The revenue collection of the City, she said, has not yet returned to pre-Covid levels with the debtors’ book sitting at R23bn.
In the same breath, she mentioned that the City has been making strides in terms of revenue collection, saying it was on track to achieve a record R4 bn in monthly collections “aiming for R4.4 bn by the end of the financial year”.
Secondly, she said, the City needed to reduce water and electricity losses.
“Water losses currently stand at a staggering 34%, while electricity losses are at 19%. Lowering these levels is crucial for financial sustainability, as every Rand lost on non-revenue water and electricity is diverted from essential service delivery,”she said.
Economic revitalisation will be among the key plans the newly-formed political administration aims to achieve in a space of three months.
“To unlock Tshwane’s economic potential, we will focus on supporting both established corporations, SMMEs, emerging business and informal traders, particularly in township economies,”she said..
She cited the imminent launch of the Marabastad informal trading stalls project as part of support to informal traders.
In township business support, she said, the goal is to improve the survival rate of emerging businesses.
“Over the next 100 days, we will assess the services offered by the six operational business support centres in Hammanskraal, Mabopane, Atteridgeville, Bronkhorstspruit and Nellmapius. Additionally, we aim to identify potential new business support sites in Region 5 (Refilwe) and Region 1 (Ga-Rankuwa),”she said.
Under her political stewardship, the City will also focus on infrastructure development with a focus on energy, water and roads.
“Our goal is to implement robust project management strategies so that by the end of the financial year, 100% of the capital budget is spent and no grant funding is returned due to under-expenditure,”she said.
She said the deputy Mayor, Eugene Modise will oversee capital projects in collaboration with the Gauteng provincial government to ensure targets are met.
One of the capital projects will include advancing the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works upgrades, with the first phase of the project to be completed within the 100-day plan.
In next three months the City will commission 18 high-mast lights across Regions 1 to 6 and complete Phase 1 of the N4 powerline to stabilise power supply to Region 6 Waltloo industrial area.
By-law enforcement and inner-city regeneration will form part of the 100-day plans with the aim to intensify spaza shop inspections in all seven regions, in partnership with Tshwane Metro Police Department, SAPS and other stakeholders.
“Enforcement operations will also cover liquor licence compliance, street-vendor trading, and public amenities by-laws. We will also focus on waste management, illegal dumping, and policing derelict buildings,”she said.
The City also wants to prioritise community engagement and taking government to the people.
“Our priority communication areas over the next 100 days include updates on the Hammanskraal water project, electricity prepaid meter upgrades, water consumption awareness, and the impacts of theft, vandalism, illegal connections, and establishing a culture of payment,” she said.
Pretoria News
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