Mogale City Executive Mayor Koketso Calvin Seerane and his mayoral committee recently held public participation road shows and visited various areas in the Mogale City region.
The road shows provided feedback to communities and business on issues raised during previous road shows and outlined the 2014/2015 Integrated Development Plan and budget process plan.
The meetings, held annually in May and November, created a platform for the public and key stakeholders to interact directly with the executive on matters relating, but not limited to service delivery.
Addressing residents, Seerane encouraged them to continue to attend public participation meetings to share their views on important decisions affecting their communities.
He emphasised that councillors are a much-needed link between the municipality and the people, and continued to encourage residents and business sectors to work closely with councillors and government.
He encouraged residents to pay for municipal services as the municipality cannot provide basic services such as bulk water and sanitation for free. He urged unemployed residents unable to pay for services to register as indigents.
Job creation
Seerane indicated that business opportunities created through Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) between 2010 and 2013 had increased in value – from R219 million to R567 million. The number of companies that have benefited from these opportunities increased from 28 to 33. The recent opening of Cradlestone Mall, expansion of Key West Mall and the relocation of Action Ford also created employment for local people.
The municipality plans to intensify job creation through the labour-intensive Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) aimed at providing poverty and income relief through temporary work for the unemployed. One such project, the expansion of Kagiso Sports Complex, where a perimeter wall of R5 million recently was constructed, is under way.
Seerane also urged communities to establish cooperatives to help alleviate poverty and create employment for local people. He also mentioned that those who need access to tertiary education should investigate the mayoral office’s bursary scheme, which already has assisted more than 600 young people with registration fees.
Clamping down on violence
While the city has experienced an increase in business opportunities, concerns remain around housing provision, crime, unemployment, lack of sports facilities, increases in illegal dumping, youth and women empowerment, and provision of water and sanitation in rural areas, among others.
The executive mayor and his team condemned recent violent protests and urged residents rather to work with their respective councillors and ward committees to address problems.
The executive and his councillors acknowledged that there are areas that need immediate attention and that the municipality needs to respond speedily to communities’ needs.
However, the team indicated that most issues the communities raised had been resolved, and that the municipality had increased access to piped water and sanitation, and managed and improved formal and informal dwellings and refuse removal, among other, in the city.
