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Premier Makhura in full support of DWS efforts to contain sewer overflows

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The Gauteng Premier, David Makhura jointly with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) Minister, Senzo Mchunu, lead a high powered government delegation involving Deputy Minsters, MECs, Sedibeng District Municipality (SDM) and Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) Executive Mayors on an oversight visit to monitor progress on all problem areas of the municipality’s sewer reticulation system. 

The visit afforded the delegation an opportunity to assess the full extent of the sewer challenges faced by ELM communities. Addressing members of the media earlier today, the DWS Minister, Senzo Mchunu indicated that the delegation has a clear mandate to identify the challenges plaguing the municipality’s sewer reticulation network, and further come up with a plan to contain spillages in ELM communities and the Vaal River. 

“Emfuleni is in the news mainly because of what is happening with the sewer overflows in the area. The Vaal River has fallen victim to these spillages, equally so, people in Sedibeng have also fallen victim to spillages flooding their homes and communities”, Mchunu said.

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The visit by the delegation started at the Vaal River and then proceeded to the Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW) and Pump Stations (PS). The oversight tour was aimed at gaining a better understanding as to why the municipality is experiencing such a high volume of spillages. 

The Minister alluded to a collapsed sewer reticulation system consisting of partly functional WWTW and dysfunctional sewer pump stations as the root cause of the spillages.

Responding to questions raised by members of the media yesterday (Tuesday, 12 October 2021), Premier Makhura said that his office is happy with the efforts and progress made by the DWS towards containing spillages in Emfuleni.

“Making sure that sewerage is handled in a proper manner is the competency of both DWS and ELM, making sure that Emfuleni fulfils its constitutional mandate of providing adequate services to all consumers is our duty. We completely behind the DWS and its initiatives to ensure that the municipality functions and is able to service its consumers.” Makhura said.

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“The plan is to repair all of the sewer reticulation infrastructure in Emfuleni, as soon as we are done with that, work to clean all the Vaal River and other polluted natural surface water bodies will commence. Environmental NGOs in the region advised us of this plan and we have listened. There is no turning back from this point, its full steam ahead towards containing sewer spillages in Emfuleni.” Makhura concluded.

ELM is currently placed under administration by the provincial government however, Premier Makhura said that he has trust in the Section 139 intervention as it is intended to bring nothing but the much needed service delivery back in Emfuleni. 

24 service delivery vehicles worth over 2 million officially launched at the municipality’s Duncanville depot.

IMG 2551With the aim to improve service delivery to residents of Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM), a fleet of new vehicles was unveiled at the Duncanville depot on Thursday (12 August 2021) and Monday (13 September 2021).

A total of 15  bakkies and 9 polo sedans were acquired through the National Treasury Transversal Contract RT57-2019 to augment the municipality’s existing overstretched fleet.

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The 24 vehicles worth R 2 640 566,00 will be strategically allocated to key departments to enhance the municipality’s ability to better respond to service delivery challenges. 

The 15 bakkies will be utilised within the Electricity, Waste, Water and Sanitation Departments. The 9 sedans will be assigned to the Traffic Department to reinforce a critical need of public safety in the municipality.

The acting Municipal Manager, Mr. Thabo Ndlovu welcomed the launch of the new fleet and said that the purchase of vehicles is a positive step towards realizing objectives of the Financial Recovery Plan (FRP). He believes that this move by the municipality is finance well spent as it will ensure that services are delivered more efficiently. 

With sedans delivered on Friday (20 August 2021) and handed over to the Traffic Department on Monday (13 September 2021), the Fleet Department encouraged employees who will be using the new vehicles to take good care of them. 

The department will also be procuring additional vehicles through a R 50 000 000,00 Capital Budget in the near future. Details of this will be shared with residents. 

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