Sewer system upgrade in Brackenhurst, Brackendowns receives R75m budget

Ward 38 Clr Thavha Maifala-Masebe welcomes the R75m budget allocation for the sewer system upgrade in Brackenhurst and Brackendowns.

It has been allocated over the next three financial years, starting with the R30m allocation for the 2024/25 budget year.

After the tabling and approval of the 2024/25 to 2026/27 Medium Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework (MTREF) at a council meeting in Alberton Civic Centre on June 14, the councillor welcomed the budget allocation.

“With residents of Ward 38 who continue to endure over 15 years of sewer overflows regularly, especially during the rainy season, this budget allocation promises to offer much-needed relief for them. Since 2016, I have relentlessly advocated for a budget allocation towards the much-needed sewer system upgrade,” Maifala-Masebe said.

He said progress since then has been seen through a relentless drive to improve the sewer system. Part of this included identifying key areas where the sewer system needed upgrading.

“While understanding that human behaviour has exacerbated the strain on the sewer system, I have always maintained that there has always been a need to upgrade the system. Council departments also confirmed this, and then confirmed the areas where upgrading of the system is mostly needed,” he explained.

Maifala-Masebe believes that while the budget allocation is a step in the right direction towards addressing the sewer infrastructure, implementation is what would bring the real difference.

“It is for this reason that the council will use council processes to monitor the implementation of the sewer system upgrade,” he said.