Media Brief – Storm Water Channel Upgrading in Sol Plaatje – 05/09/2017
MEDIA BRIEFING
496 MILLION GRANT FOR UPGRADE OF STORM WATER CHANNELS IN SOL PLAATJE
05 SEPTEMBER 2017
It is with great excitement to address the media on the recent achievements gained by the municipality.
Most of us have not forgotten the 2009 and 2011 floods that affected the Greater Galeshewe, along the lines of Nobengula Street, up to Seleke Street in Bloemanda. More than 200 households were affected by the floods and the burst of the Kagisho Retention Dam. As much as this could not entirely be placed on the shoulders of the municipality, due to the extent of damage and loss of property, council resolved to assist these families to recover from the disaster.
Since then, the municipality conducted a feasibility study to investigate options that could be explored to ensure that the floods are controlled to an extent, and reduce the impact of them on households in low-lying areas that are prone to flooding. The municipality together with with the Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs spent over R8 million to elevate the foundations of 84 houses in Bloemanda, to prevent further flooding and damage to property.
As part of a more permanent solution, one of the projects identified is the upgrade of storm water system within the greater Kimberley. As part of the Neighbourhood Development and Partnership Grant, an opportunity presented itself under the public Transport Network Project. To date, two significant projects are underway, the Taxi/Bus Shelter Lay-By’s and the Pedestrian Walk Ways. National Treasury allocated an amount of R25 million in the 2016/2017 financial year for the upgrade of storm water on Nobengula Road.
Our discussions with National Treasury did not end there, we pursued and managed to convince them that we are willing, we are capable and we are ready as a municipality to implement mega-projects. It is with great excitement to announce that our efforts had paid off. An amount of R496 million has been approved by National Treasury to fund an estimated 109 kilometres of storm water channels covering various sites, but in the main, Nobengula, through to Green Street, the area north of John Daka to Pniel Road. it is estimated that this project will be implemented over 3 years.
The agreement was finalised recently at a meeting held between National Treasury and the Sol Plaatje Team.
In preparing for the project submission and starting and starting initial phases, the municipality and its appointed agents for professional engineering and construction are ready to resume with this project.
It is interesting to note that our municipality becomes the first and only middle income municipality to be assisted in this way which is indicative of the confidence which our municipality enjoys.
We welcome this bold initiative to change and improve the fortunes of our municipality. In fact, the project falls squarely within our aspiration to work towards a leading and a modern city. This project comes hot on the heels of the SANRAL announcement recently to upgrade certain key intersections in Sol Plaatje Area. These projects will run for a period of twelve months each totalling work span of 37 months at the three intersections. The spin offs of the SANRAL initiative will have an impact as 104 job opportunities will be created right at the inception stage. These projects will bring about much needed relief to the Sol Plaatje Municipality community in the face of the difficult economic challenges faced globally.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
GREGORY SELEKE
053 830 6477
gseleke@solplaatje.org.za
