Nama-Khoi Local Municipality Mayor Dr Gustav Bock has expressed hope for 2024 saying it is a year of “prosperity, growth, and collaborative success” for the Nama Khoi community.
However, for resident under the municipality, this year expected to not look any different from the previous one as they will continue to face the same service delivery issue such as poor water supply and rolling blackouts.
Providing highlights for the year ahead, the municipality said in a statement that it anticipates a debt write-off in the first quarter of 2024.
“The Municipality secured a coveted spot among the five municipalities in the Northern Cape province with approved applications for Eskom’s Debt Write-off Program to an amount of R96 million,” said the statement.
Municipality spokesperson, Jason Milford says there are prospects to possibly erase the R214 million debt with the Vaal Central Water Board. In 2021, the municipality submitted a complaint to the South African Human Rights Commission in the Northern Cape arguing that the community’s basic human right to water is being trampled upon.
NAMA-KHOI 2023 ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
• A substantial R6 million investment in aquifer augmentation and strategic plans for recycling mining hole water.
• Collaborations with Stellenbosch University yielded ground-breaking solutions, including the implementation of a municipal-owned electricity harvesting program.
NAMA-KHOI 2024 PLANS:
• Addressing severe water shortages, this ongoing project focuses on aquifer augmentation, heavy metal extraction, and water recycling.
• Plans for a 25-50 MW solar plant and ongoing efforts to empower SMMEs through the Small Business Academy underscore the Municipality’s commitment to innovation.
• Formal pledges are eagerly anticipated in the first quarter of 2024, marking a significant step towards realizing the Social Impact Hub. As a seed project of the Social Impact Hub, the establishment of a Biotechnology Laboratory aims to advance water and agriculture quality testing, naturopathic industry development, and biotechnology in the region.
When Mayor Gustav took office, he had vowed to bring change however the municipality’s Blue Drop score has decreased from 63.94% in 2014 to 36.61% in 2023. This was revealed by the National Department of Water and Sanitation’s full Blue Drop Report released in 2023.
Meanwhile – National Treasury confirmed last year that the municipality has been approved for the municipal debt relief programme. “The municipal debt relief programme approved R209 717 44 writes-off arrear debt of municipality that owe Eskom on an application basis,” said the department.
