OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE MAYOR
Block B | 2nd Floor | Tshwane House | 320 Madiba Street | Pretoria | 0002
PO Box 440 | Pretoria | 0001
Tel: 012 358 4903
Email: sallym@tshwane.gov.za | www.tshwane.gov.za | www.facebook.com/CityOfTshwane
Media statement June 2022
Monthly statement to residents from the Executive Mayor of Tshwane
Dear Tshwane residents
Visible core service delivery
I am pleased to notify you that the City is currently implementing the Integrated Urban Management Programme driven on the ground by our regional operations teams.
The programme is a new initiative implemented across Tshwane to holistically improve service delivery. Instead of a single service deliverable, such as filling potholes, the programme is intended to make a much more significant impact by combining multiple service delivery activities in a single area.
Our teams have already implemented the programme in various parts of Tshwane where we fixed street lights, maintained roads through resurfacing and cleaned up public spaces.
Furthermore, the City is turning the tide on fixing potholes along its municipal roads through the deployment of Jetpatcher technology that was commissioned to help the City reduce its pothole patching backlog.
We will ensure that we reach all regions so that our residents may all experience and see visible service delivery.
Youth Month
On 16 June 2022, we marked the 46th anniversary of the Soweto uprising where the brave youth of 1976 stood up against the apartheid government and laid down their lives fighting for freedom and the right to equal education.
On behalf of the City of Tshwane, I would like to pay tribute to and salute the class of I hope their determination will inspire today’s generation, which faces many socio-economic challenges.
Youth unemployment remains one of South Africa’s biggest challenges which has worsened in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this, it is important to drive economic growth and make access to opportunities in the country easier.
Therefore, the City has made an allocation of R23 million for the upcoming 2022/23 financial year to restore Wi-Fi connections which have been greatly affected by vandalism and theft over the past two years.
This important infrastructure investment will offer young people and students access to more information as well as any announcements regarding municipal services and opportunities for the youth.
Mercy Youth Art Project Exhibition launch
As part of our various Youth Month programmes, the City also launched the Mercy Youth Art Project Exhibition at Tshwane House. The project presents 50 different artworks prepared by learners from 23 high schools in Region 3 areas such as Atteridgeville, Saulsville, Lotus Gardens, Pretoria West, Pretoria Central and many other surrounding areas. The artworks were very impressive and prove that we have many talented young people in the country.
Fire Hydrant Initiative
Moving to more youth-empowering programmes, the City of Tshwane, working in partnership with Hollard Insurance, launched the Fire Hydrant Initiative to raise awareness of inner-city fire safety, while also empowering local youths with work opportunities.
The Fire Hydrant Initiative is driven by the mounting concern of fire risk in urban centres. Recently, we have seen scores of devastating fires destroying public facilities, such as Parliament, Charlotte Maxeke Hospital and the University of Cape Town.
Working with Hollard, 15 unemployed local youths were selected and trained with the requisite technical skills to ensure the proper inspection of fire hydrants.
Hollard Insurance has committed R1,3 million towards the training, stipends and travel allowance for the youths. We welcome this investment in the talent of our young people.
I was pleased to note at the event launch that the selected diverse group of young people expressed excitement and eagerness over this project where 3 500 City fire hydrants will be inspected and maintained.
City wins PanSALB Multilingualism Award
The City of Tshwane Language Services Section team, under the Communication, Marketing and Events Department, won the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) Multilingualism Award.
The Multilingualism Awards are bestowed by PanSALB on organisations and individuals who have excelled in the promotion, protection and preservation of all South Africa’s official languages, including South African Sign Language. Congratulations to the team.
Launch of Climate Action Plan
Earlier this month, we launched the City’s Climate Action Plan under the theme, A net- zero carbon and climate-resilient city by 2050.
The Climate Action Plan is a profound commitment to future-proof Tshwane against the damaging impacts of climate change while ensuring that we reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, the cause of global warming.
Impressively, we are the first metropolitan municipality in South Africa to identify climate risk zones, which are geographical areas that are at risk of being severely affected by climate hazards.
The actions in our plan aim to reduce the exposure that vulnerable communities may face due to climate change. Our plan is thus strongly guided by scientific evidence and data that inform our strategies for the future.
Chantelle Social Housing Project
Another highlight this month was the launch of the Chantelle Social Housing Project to assist the City’s missing middle. With the MMC for Human Settlements, Cllr Abel Tau, we officiated the sod-turning ceremony marking the start of construction.
The project will cater for beneficiaries who are residents of Tshwane, but who do not qualify for government-sponsored housing nor earn enough to qualify for home loans.
The City has allocated a budget of R131 million towards the project, which will be managed by the Housing Company Tshwane, a housing entity of the City. The project will consist of 1 098 mixed-rental units.
TshwaneYaTima revenue-collection campaign
I would like to mention that we are continuing with the #TshwaneYaTima revenue- collection campaign, which seeks to disconnect services to defaulting clients who run up high service bills and fail to pay the City.
The campaign is not designed to embarrass our clients, but it is important that everyone pays for services rendered. Debtors cannot continue to consume our services for free.
Performance management policy to drive accountability
As I conclude, I am pleased to inform you that the City of Tshwane Council adopted the amended Individual Performance Management Policy during its ordinary Council sitting on Thursday, 30 June 2022.
The revised policy seeks to ensure that staff members enter into an individual performance agreement contract at the beginning of each financial year based on approved job descriptions.
The policy is aimed at driving a culture of high performance within the metro to improve our services to residents. It will also ensure that proper accountability is entrenched at individual level within departments.
Through this policy, employees will have to work towards achieving all their set key performance indicators over the course of the financial year by setting a benchmark of 100% achievement.
As public servants, we are expected to deliver quality and professional services to all our residents. With this amended policy I am confident that the City’s performance standards will improve.
Kind regards
Ald Randall Williams
