SINKHOLES
THE heavy rains experienced over the city during the week of March 19 2018 has compounded the issue of sinkholes particularly in Region 4. For the 2017/18 financial year, we have recorded a total of 27 sinkholes requiring various extents of repairs and restorations.
To fix all the city’s sinkholes at once is estimated to cost up to R100 million and the city has committed to address the problem over the next financial years. However, site securing, geological investigations and periodic monitoring of the sinkholes are being done in the meantime.
We have committed R25 million from the operating budget towards repair work on the Jean Avenue sinkhole and in so doing bringing us one step closer to restoring optimum business activity in the area.
The sinkhole has caused massive disruption to business and traffic flow in Centurion. This is the largest single cost of repair and the tender has been awarded to a contractor with the necessary capacity to undertake the work.
Another two sinkholes prioritised for repair are in Clubview (approximately R3 million), which has the potential to affect 900 households, and 2nd Avenue in Claudius (approximately R15 million).
Another massive newly developed sinkhole is along the R55 in Laudium, estimated to cost between R40 to 50 million to fix, we are appreciative that province will cover this cost.
There are about eight sinkholes in Laudium alone and three are already under treatment in the current financial year. The city is also budgeting for three additional sinkholes in the approaching financial year, while two smaller ones will be temporarily treated.
CLIMATE RESPONSE PLAN
THE City of Tshwane has an internationally recognised carbon footprint developed in 2017 with technical support from the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.
This step alone puts us on par with global C40 cities such as New York, London and Copenhagen, and i s the impetus for a wide-ranging set of measures to support the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a bid to stem global warming and the havoc it is wreaking – floods, droughts, unbearable temperature increases and the concomitant health impacts.
These measures are contained in our Climate Response Strategy and are guiding our efforts to take charge of actions that are harmful to the planet and humanity.
The foundation of the strategy is to preserve our ecological infrastructure – green and open spaces, rivers, wetlands – as this infrastructure has considerable social, economic and cultural value.
By preserving, conserving and rehabilitating our ecological infrastructure, we have a natural bulwark against climate impacts, whatever form they may take.
In executing the Climate Response Strategy, we would like to acknowledge the efforts by National Treasury’s City Support Programme to ensure the City of Tshwane’s spending is mindful of and responsive to climate impacts.
We are making a considerable effort to ensure that in developing our budgets, we factor in climate-proofing measures. This is supported by our Sustainable Procurement Strategy and our efforts to transform our consumption patterns and advance green purchasing such as our investment in green buildings, cleaner fuel vehicles and a drive towards sustainable energy mix.
Such ambitious efforts are receiving immense recognition on national, continental and international platforms as demonstrated by my recent election to represent the African continent in the ICLEI Global Executive Committee as well as being asked to chair the Global Lead City Network on Sustainable Procurement
ROADS AND TRANSPORT
A SAFE and reliable public transport system as well as the state of the art road infrastructure network are all the ingredients that contribute to creating a progressive capital city.
The Rainbow Junction Bypass, a Tshwane Rapid Transport project, is well on track and expected to be completed by the end of the current financial year.
In February, the city held marathon consultations with concerned commuters and taxi organisations in Hammanskraal following disruptions to public transport for commuters from Hammanskraal into the CBD. While some of the issues could be addressed within a reasonable space of time, there are matters bound in legal agreements entered into by the city and the taxi industry which cannot just be changed overnight.
We appreciate the agreement by both parties to allow the leadership of Tshwane time to look into the issues raised and we will provide feedback on that note.
Our Vision is to have a Capital city with reliable and efficient public transport service with lower emissions, where we can gradually decrease private car usage which will eventually lead to less congestion. It is on this note that we have successfully launched the Belle Ombre Compressed Natural Gas depot which will be fully operation before the end of this financial year. Of the 114 bus fleet, 40 are running on compressed natural gas (CNG) thus making Tshwane the first city in sub-Saharan Africa to run full CNG propelled buses.
We seek to reaffirm our position as a leader in green technology and other green interventions.
In October 2017, the City of Tshwane successfully took over bus service operations from AutoPax in Mamelodi. It has always been our desire to provide transport services to high density areas that do not have fast modes of transport, places such as Mamelodi, Atteridgeville and Soshanguve.
We have also undertaken to do construction of internal roads in Ga-Rankuwa Unit 9 (11,1 km), Soshanguve Block GG (2,3 km) and Soshanguve Block LL (1 km walkways). We will be upgrading road from gravel to tar in Ekangala and Zithobeni (1 km each).
As a result of flooding, stormwater systems will also be constructed in Eesterust Ext 2 (2 km), Matengteng (3 km), Kudube Unit 6 (0,8 km) and Atteridgeville (3,8 km). We are aware some of our projects are taking time to get off the ground, we have assembled a team to speed up implementation of roads and transport projects.
WATER AND ELECTRICITY
THE Eldoraigne 132/11kv Substation and the Mamelodi 3 132/11kV substation have been completed and handed over. Various other substations are now also being upgraded. This will contribute to the stabilisation and improvement of the energy supply to our residents.
About 7900 electricity connections will be done in Mamelodi Ext 11, Atteridgeville Ext. 11, Fort West Ext. 4, Garankuwa Zone 14, Pienaarspooort, Olievenhoutbosch Ext. 60 and Zithobeni Ext. 9. In Mamelodi Ext 5 about 74 households have been connected and over 200 households in Melusi Ext 2 are now with electricity. Nelmapius Ext 24 and Soshanguve Ext 19 have seen 2600 and 560 electricity connections respectively.
On public lighting, progress is being made on 35 high mast lights and the installation of 2300 streetlights in all seven regions.
The people of New Klipgat can rest assured that the water generation and management will improve as we are well on track to complete the reservoir in this financial year.
CONCLUSION
AS the Capital city, we have a responsibility to ensure we set the highest possible standard for the rest of the country. We must be a shining example for all our people across South Africa.
We are very proud of the accomplishments that this administration has made, but there is still more work to be done. We want to also apologise to those who have not yet felt the change of service delivery and let them know that under this DA-led multiparty administration that they are not forgotten and we will respond to their needs.
Credit also goes to all officials who have rolled up their sleeves to help make this city become liveable, resilient and inclusive.
This administration will continue to honour the commitments it made to all the people of Tshwane; to be a government they can be proud of. Let us work together to build a world class and prosperous city.
