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Grant-in-aid Applications now open
The Ekurhuleni metro invites organisations located in Ekurhuleni to apply for the Grant-in-Aid for 2018/2019 financial year. Applications are open until October 31.
The Grant-in-Aid funding is one of the metro’s development programmes set to financially assist organisations that share a common mission of improving the quality of life for residents of Ekurhuleni.
Proposals for funding should focus on providing creative and innovative programmes or services
that address the following priority areas:
• Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture (SRAC) and Social Cohesion.
• Local Economic Development and Sustainable Job Creation.
• Health and Social Development.
Applicants may only submit one application per organisation.
Forms are available at all Customer Care Centres and Grant-in-Aid administrative support office at head office in Germiston.
For more information contact the following officials for Grant-In-Aid application forms:
• Mr Mbongeni Ndlela 011 999-7737 – Economic Development
• Mr Willy Kekana 011 999-6379/0509 – Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture
• Ms Audrey Fihla 011 999-2517 – Health and Social Development
• Mr Joseph Selolo 011 999-0794 – Grant-In-Aid Admin Support
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Ekurhuleni maintains low water consumption
The metro has noted the recent report by the water supply entity, Rand Water, that it has used 10.5 per cent less water than the allocated target for the period from July 2017 to June 2018.
The metro emphasised the importance of conserving and reducing the consumption of water, consuming 16 per cent less water of the total volume supplied since June 2018 to date.
Residents and businesses are urged to continue focusing their efforts on implementing simple water consumption patterns that will help reduce the demand for water in summer.
Water demand increases and water-using activities like gardening and swimming become prevalent during summer.
“It all starts with behavioural changes of curbing the use of water during this period, which is traditionally when consumption is at its peak”, said MMC for Water, Sanitation and Energy Clr Tiisetso Nketle.
Behavioural changes that can be adopted by residents include:
• Taking short stop-start showers: Wet your body, turn off the tap, soap, then rinse quickly
• Wait for a full laundry load before running washing machines and dishwashers
• Use the rinse water from some washing machines, that allow this function, for the next wash cycle
• Use a cup instead of running taps in the bathroom or kitchen when brushing teeth, shaving, or drinking
• Defrost foods in the fridge or naturally, rather than placing it under running water.
Metro’s new speedboat will revitalise water bodies
Summer brings an increase in water temperature levels and the presence of the invasive water plants in the water bodies.
In addition to the watermaster machine purchased by the metro almost 10 years ago, the metro decided to boost the water body maintenance equipment by investing in a 12-seater speedboat to efficiently and effectively attend to water bodies maintenance issues as and when required.
The speedboat is equipped with a 200-litre herbicide spraying unit designed to spray aquatic invasive plants such as water hyacinth, Mexican lilies, water grass and others found in the water bodies and shorelines.
The invasive plants grow in the metro’s water bodies such as the Kleinfontein Dam, Middle Lake, Civic Lake and Homestead Dam in Benoni, Jan Smuts Dam in Brakpan, Murray Park Dam in Springs and Victoria Lake in Germiston.
To ensure efficient clearing of all water bodies, the metro has employed the services of seven wetland attendants and two watermaster operators.
As a long-term solution, the metro is working on introducing biological methods such as beetles, weevils and indigenous fish species to control the growth of alien invasive plants in the water bodies.
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