The City of Johannesburg Mayor, Mpho Phalatse, says allegations that the city cannot meet its financial obligations are false.
She says while the city’s finances are not without blemish, the notion that there is anxiety about the payment of salaries is a fabrication.
On Wednesday, the African National Congress (ANC) in Johannesburg indicated that the city had serious financial problems and that the mayor had failed to collect revenue for services such as electricity and water.
Briefing the media in Johannesburg on Thursdays, Phalatse says, “There was little to no truth about what was said, in the main because the figures are unaudited. We have nothing to hide because the audited figures will be presented before council as per the legislation.”
“Notably we are one of the few municipalities across the country that does not owe Eskom or Rand Water. In the coming days we will give a full account of the state of the City’s finances as they stand,” She added.
Sewage
Phalatse says Joburg Water has made steady progress in replacing Johannesburg’s old sewage and water piping infrastructure as well as completing road reinstatements following emergency and scheduled maintenance.
“In the final quarter of the 2021/22 financial year over 100 kilometres of water piping, and just under 70 kilometres of sewage piping were replaced against the targets of 26 and 15 kilometres respectively. This equates to 385% and 467% of overachievement of the targets.”
She says Joburg Water is making serious progress in replacing ageing water infrastructure in Johannesburg.
“These developments from May to July this year have aided Joburg Water in providing over 3,000 more households in Johannesburg with basic water services.”
We are therefore excited to announce that following the May 2022 Joburg Energy Indaba, City Power is on track with its alternative energy procurement programme, as per the Energy Indaba resolutions, and we will publish the first Requests For Proposal (RFPs) for short-term supply.
— Executive Mayor Mpho Phalatse (@mphophalatse1) November 3, 2022
Further to this, the Multi-Party Government, through City Power has partnered with the National Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to procure 15,000 solar water geysers at no cost. City Power will develop the criteria for the beneficiaries who need them the most.
— Executive Mayor Mpho Phalatse (@mphophalatse1) November 3, 2022
The implementation of the solar geyser project creates an opportunity for DMRE to train City Power technicians, community-based electricians and SMMEs, we will ensure that these opportunities are offered to the communities where the solar water geysers will be installed.
— Executive Mayor Mpho Phalatse (@mphophalatse1) November 3, 2022
