By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
African National Congress (ANC) Chairperson and MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Nono Maloyi, delivered the State of the Address (SOPA) at the Provincial Legislature in Mmabatho.
On Sunday, Maloyi was sworn in as acting premier by the North West Division Judge President Ronald Hendricks, as Premier Bushy Maape continues to take precautions related to his surgery.
Chapter 6, Section 131 (1) (a) of the constitution of the Republic was invoked by Maape to appoint Maloyi as acting premier until 10 March 2024.
Maloyi on Tuesday, announced additional measures which the province hopes will alleviate the impact of load shedding.
“The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs is coordinating intervention efforts to assist municipalities in implementing renewable and alternative energy sources,” Maloyi said.
“In an effort to end load shedding, we have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chinese National Import and Export Corporation to construct R16 billion gas to electricity power stations at both the City of Matlosana and Moses Kotane Local Municipality respectively.
“The first phase of this project will see Matlosana producing 198 megawatts of electricity, and construction is earmarked for a maximum of ninety days per one hundred megawatts.
“The Chinese Import and Export Corporation, in addition to their project investment, committed to investing further resources to assist eradicate mud houses in the province by building 500 houses every year for the duration of this MoU,” said Maloyi.
Maloyi said the project is expected to create a minimum of 10,000 job opportunities.
Potholes Fixing
Maloyi said over 320 kilometres of potholes across the province will be resealed, creating 429 job opportunities.
“Municipalities such as Matlosana and JB Marks are to insource road maintenance and pothole patching on an ongoing basis, as a municipal function undertaken by municipal employees.”
He explained that this initiative will be emulated in other municipalities across the province.
In addition, work on the Lichtenburg to Koster and Derby to Magaliesburg will commence in the new financial year.
“We have terminated and appointed a new contractor to start working on the Majakaneng to Sun City Road,” Maloyi said.
Improving governance in municipalities
The Acting Premier said the provincial government is continuing to provide dedicated support to all municipalities to improve financial management through the implementation and monitoring of Financial Recovery Plans (FRPs).
This is after the province has finally exited the section 100 intervention phase, with the full restoration of all executive functions of provincial departments after it was placed under administration in 2018.
Maloyi said the Executive Council has approved the appointment and deployment of Provincial Executive Representatives (PERs) to implement financial recovery plans for identified municipalities, under the joint coordination of the Provincial Treasury and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA).
In addition, he said the provincial government has rolled out skills and qualification audits in all municipalities, with 5 487 employees already being audited.
Water and Sanitation
In addition, over 80% of households in the province have access to piped water either inside their dwellings, yards or community stands, as compared to only 20% in 1996.
Last year, the provincial government, in cooperation with the Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu, launched the R106 million Dinokana Water Supply Intervention Project.
Maloyi said the North West was pushing ahead with the construction of a R36 million bulk water sewer pipeline at Agisanang township in the Tswaing Local Municipality is due for completion this year.
“We can report to the people of Madibeng Local Municipality that the Brits Water Treatment Plant will be completed by May this year,” he said.
The completion of this project is expected to bring an additional 20 mega-litres that will ensure the provision of water in Oukasi, Mothotlung, Damonsville, Mmankau, Brits, Elandsrand, Letlhabile and Sonop.
The pipeline from Mafenya to Tlhabane will be completed in April.
He told members that the 25 mega-litre Tlhabane reservoir is 99% complete and will be handed over within the next two weeks.
Meanwhile, additional boreholes have been drilled and equipped for both the Rooigrond Waste Water Treatment Plant and water augmentation project to address water provision challenges in Mahikeng.
“The communities of Ramosadi and Seweding in Mahikeng have for the past few months been subjected to inhumane sewer spillage in their households and locality.
“We have intervened and a contractor has now returned to the site to complete the project of constructing a new pipeline to be delivered by Mahikeng Local Municipality and funded by Ngaka Modiri Molema District.”
Maloyi also confirmed that all water leaks at Tigane and Hartebeesfontein have been fixed and now there is a stable water supply.
The construction of the over R200 million water pipeline from Pudumoe to Huhudi began in September last year to improve the bulk water supply.