City of Joburg has big plans for Region E

City of Joburg Mayor Herman Mashaba has promised residents to expect big changes in service delivery and in the handling of their municipal-related issues.

Mashaba said this at a recent consultative meeting with residents of 16 wards in Region E at Marlboro Community Centre when engaging on, among others things, draft integrated development plans, proposed new tariffs, budget on capital projects, unemployment, RDP houses and substance abuse challenges.

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Mashaba was accompanied by the speaker of the council, Vasco Da Gama, MMC for Health and Social Development, Mpho Phalatse and senior council officials who listened to the needs and concerns of residents. Their concerns included poor service delivery, electricity problems, corruption, incomplete housing projects and unavailability of land for development.

A statement issued by the City alluded to the City’s Diphetogo (change) Project which is aimed to assist in accelerating service delivery and transformation in the city.

“The project will attend to basic service delivery, infrastructure development, repairs and maintenance of infrastructure, housing provision and public safety concerns including substance abuse challenges,” read the statement.

The City has allocated funds to fix staircases of flats in Alex through a contracted service provider of which work is scheduled to commence in May this year and another contract is set to refurbish the Alex Opportunity Centre commencing in June. Both contracts will engage local SMMEs as part of job creation for unemployed youth.

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This will be in addition to Johannesburg Water fixing all leaking pipes, taps and unblocking sewerage pipes to reduce water losses and improving water supply. “Already, the region has spent R19 million to electrify 400 stands at the Organic Market Informal settlement in Lombardy West, completed upgrading at the Thoko Mngoma Clinic, construction is in progress at Orchards Clinic in Orchards and 4th Avenue Clinic, while 8th Avenue and East Bank clinics have extended their operating hours,” according to the statement which added that construction of the Klipfontein Clinic will commence in the 2018/2019 financial year.

The speaker commended the residents’ input to the draft plans which would be tabled to the city council for approval.