A 5 Year focus: Achievements and Milestones of City of Johannesburg Municipality

Posted: 13 October 2021

The Minister of the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, officially proclaimed the 1st of November 2021 as the day when South Africans will take to the polls to elect councils for all district, metropolitan and local municipalities in each of the country's nine provinces (Local Government Elections).

In response to this, SALGA is rolling out a Local Government Transition Campaign, which includes the following objectives:

As the 4th term of the local government administration draws to an end, some of the milestones that have been achieved by City of Johannesburg Municipality include the following:

Service delivery highlights

• In 2016/2017, performance was at 48%
• In 2017/2018, performance was at 59%
• In 2017/2018, performance declined to 56%
• In 2019/2020, the City achieved 73% which was the highest during the course of the term.
• For 2020/21, the City achieved 63%

Governance
The City achieved unqualified audit opinion throughout the term. Entities such as Joburg Development Agency (JDA), Joburg Property Company (JPC), Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JPCZ), and Joburg City Theatres receiving clean audit in 2016/17, 2017/18, and 2018/19 financial years respectively.

To uphold institutional governance efficiency, an additional allocation of R76 million has been allocated to ensure adequate SAP maintenance and support that is critical in the functioning of the City’s departments and entities, and an additional R6 million has also been allocated for skills audit implementation.

Economic Development
The total number of SMMEs supported by the City within the five years from 2016/17
to 2020/21 financial year is 44, 630 and 82,824 EPWP work opportunities over the term have been created.

Joburg Market has upgraded the Mandela Market which enables small entrepreneurs operating at the market.

The establishment of 10 (ten) Opportunity Centres and the anticipated launch of a new
mobile Opportunity Centre (Bus).

The launch of the Youth Cooperatives Development programme, targeting young people between the ages of 18 and 35 years whose level of skills and workplace experiences disadvantages them when seeking employment. The City is set to support
500 young people in each of the City’s seven regions, a total of 3,500 youth.

Housing
The City has created a total 8, 615 housing opportunities against a target of 8,125. Through the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JOSHCO), 2 958 social housing units were developed for the disadvantage beneficiaries. JOSHCO purchased four Inner City Buildings in 2016/2017 which yielded a total of 464 units.

JOSHCO launched five projects during the 2018/19 financial year in different
areas:

• The Devland project produced 255 units, while the Turffontein project produced 528 units.
• Hoek Street project produced 264 units, and the Albert Street project produced 83 units.
• The Dobsonville Project yielded a total of 502 units comprising of 152 one bedroom units, and 350 two-bedroom.
• Student accommodation project (Wolmarans) was launched in May 2021. The building has a capacity to house 181 beds and is currently tenanting. It was fully occupied by July 2021.

Upgrades of Informal Settlements
Through the dedicated Upgrade of Informal Settlements grant of R1.4 billion over the next three years, City set to formalize a number of informal settlements with:

• 1660 units in Hospital hills
• 1600 units for Klipsruit Ext 7
• 1074 units in Slovo Park near Nancefield
• 1045 units in Rugby Club
• 1210 units in Princess Plot
• 1860 units in Kya Sands
• 507 units in Organic Compound
• 569 units in Meriting

A further R90 million available to provide communities with serviced stands to curb illegal land grabs.

Electrification
15, 090 households and dwellings were electrified in areas such as Lawley, Thembelihle, Meriting, South Hills (RDP), Elias Motsoaledi, Alexandra Normalisation, Rabie Ridge. 9 964 public lights were installed throughout the City during the term. In terms of refurbishment of bulk infrastructure, major projects for substations, high voltage overhead lines and underground cables were completed in different areas.

Water and Sanitation

• 388 million litres of water were transported to stationary tanks in informal settlements.
• 94.8% of new households were provided access to basic water at minimum LoS1 in informal settlements.
• 43% of new households were provided access to basic water at minimum LoS1 in informal settlements.
• 145 103 desludging services were provided on the 60 000 VIPs (some toilets were de-sludged more than once).

Sustainable Development

• In the 2018/19 financial year, the City hosted the 1st Africa C40 Financing Sustainable Cities Summit.
• 69% waste diverted from landfill site, 48% of builder's rubble diverted and 12 garden sites were upgraded.
• Four Water Management Unit were improved from class F to class E.
• 3917.2 hectares were cleared as part of the Implementation of Ecological Management Plans in Protected Areas and alien control outside protected areas.
• 264186.02 tCO2e achieved in greenhouse gas emissions based on sector-based projects.

Safe City

• The City’s rejuvenated Crime Prevention Plan was launched in 2021 on the Nelson Mandela Bridge.
• 18, 804 by-law enforcement operations and 23, 674 traffic enforcement operations were carried out in the City throughout the term.
• City implemented 80% of ward based policing programmes and 85 Campaigns were conducted for crime prevention, traffic, fire prevention and medical emergencies.
• Licensing department went 100% cashless to curb the spread of COVID-19.
• Over the term, 1500 officers were appointed.
• The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) launched Integrated Intelligent Operations Center (IIOC) technology to respond to crime detected and the Evidentiary Breath Alcohol Testing (EBAT) machines that increased the success rate of convictions within reasonable time.
• The Malboro Licensing Centre was refurbished and piloted as the first modernised licensing centre in the City of Johannesburg in 2019/20.
• Cosmo Fire Station was launched in 2018.
• 500 champions, who are high school students from different regions throughout the City were awarded with certificates and medals for SERT programme also in 2018.

Health

• During the term, 95.5% people who tested positive for TB were initiated on treatment.
• 90.8% people who tested positive for HIV were initiated on treatment.
• 47 clinics offer extended service hours to those in need of health services.
• 76 clinics were used as COVID-19 testing sites across all the regions.
• 70 households who were living in tents at Plot 323 in Ruimsig were allocated as Temporary Relocation Areas (TRAs) with units by the Disaster Management Unit of the province.
• Six areas were identified for de-densification being Diepsloot (Tanganani Ext7), Rabie Ridge, Zandspruit Ext 84, Madala Hostel, 12th Avenue Viola Marlboro and 17th Avenue Marlboro.
• Progress has been slow due to number of challenges that occurred on different sites, since then they have been resolved.
• Construction of show houses started in November 2020 and they are complete

Sustainable Community Development Services

• 192,000 youth and adults benefited from the eLearning programme offered by Libraries throughout the City.
• Implemented comprehensive Libraries and Information services at 87 libraries to provide library services, eLearning, information resources, support to schools, Early Childhood Development centres and vulnerable groups.
• Over the term, 920 432 people attended theatre.
• Joburg City Theatres also offered theatre production streaming due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In 2019/20, Johannesburg Zoo received 299 029 visitors in 2019/20.
• More than 11 000 were afforded an opportunity to enter the zoo for free through environmental education programmes such as Masibambisane, and biodiversity events such as Arbor Day, Rhino Day, World Environment Day, Bird Week, Earth Hour, Science Week, Flufftail, and Wetland Day.

Transport

• The citywide IPTN (Integrated Public Transport Plan) Network was completed and approved by the Mayoral Committee.
• Ongoing quality Rea Vaya services to commuters with customer satisfaction of between 68%-71% achieved on the Rea Vaya service. High satisfaction areas cited by commuters includes affordability, safety, travel times and reliability.
• Cumulatively 16.5km of Rea Vaya phase 1C (a) roadways and 10 stations have been completed.
• Over the past 5 years, fifty-eight (58) buses were refurbished.
• Metrobus maintain a service for disabled members of the community on all its routes.
• The airport route footprint was extended and agreements have been reached with the Airports Company to ensure facilities for the entity including a sales outlet at the OR Tambo airport.

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