Executive mayor Clr Mondli Gungubele delivered the State of the City Address, last Wednesday, March 25, in the Germiston Council Chambers.
He opened his “Strengthening social maturity by advancing social cohesion in pursuit of a prosperous and, therefore, livable city”-themed speech with a reminder of the struggle the city has with illegal mining.
“The ongoing, senseless illegal mining-related murders that continue to bedevil our area are giving us sleepless nights and seem to be escalating,” he said.
“Just this weekend the municipality had to assist with the burial of several victims of these senseless killings, including an 18-month-old toddler.”
The mayor went on to touch on a number of topics, including:
- Job creation.
- Aerotropolis.
- Improvements to roads throughout the metro, including lighting projects throughout the metro.
- Housing developments throughout the metro.
- Improvements to the Ekurhuleni Emergency and Disaster Service.
- Improvements in both the metro’s EMPD and SAPS services.
- The metro’s achievements in the last year.
- Initiatives to re-industrialise Ekurhuleni.
- Initiatives to re-urbanise and re-mobilise, to ensure a livable Ekurhuleni.
- Initiatives to re-generate Ekurhuleni.
- Initiatives to re-govern Ekurhuleni.
- Public transport throughout Ekurhuleni, with focus on the BRT projects.
“This year, 2015, is an exciting year for the metro,” Gungubele said.
“It is, therefore, no fluke that we have themed this year: The year of the freedom charter and unity in action to advance economic freedom.
“We did this because we fully understand that it is this charter that continues to guide us towards the promised land.
“If we are to achieve the objectives as set out in this State of the City Address, we need honesty, integrity and a commitment to fairness, equity and equality.
“We, who are entrusted with this privilege, should possess a strong sense of responsibility to act with efficiency and competence, and to discipline personal desires to the standards of law and democratic expectation.”
Proceedings came to an end with personnel from the EMPD and Ekurhuleni Emergency Services taking to the streets of Germiston in a parade.
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