Latest news with #EmfuleniLocalMunicipality
The Citizen
5 days ago
- The Citizen
Six arrested during De Deur food safety blitz
In a continued effort to crack down on illicit food sales in the region, police working in collaboration with key stakeholders including the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) Health Department, Gauteng Traffic Wardens, and Siyabangena Patrollers conducted a series of inspections on June 10 across various food outlets within the De Deur policing precinct. ELM is taking decisive action to address the sale of expired, substandard, and unregulated food, as well as the illegal operation of spaza shops. Joint operations are being carried out to enforce compliance, shut down non-compliant businesses, and bring offenders to justice. Speaking to Ster North, police spokesperson Constable Mampho Mahlomola said the main objective of the operation was to ensure that spaza shops comply with current food safety regulations. 'A total of 17 shops were inspected in Roshnee, resulting in four fines being issued to owners for non-compliance with prescribed regulations,' Mahlomola confirmed. Additionally, food items lacking proper labelling valued at approximately R15 000 were seized and disposed of with the assistance of the ELM Waste Department at the Vereeniging depot. The operation also increased police visibility in the area, leading to further arrests. Two individuals were apprehended for possession of illicit drugs, two for being undocumented, and another two for the unlawful use of someone else's property. Lieutenant Colonel Anver Hammond, who led the operation, praised the joint initiative and emphasised its importance in ensuring that the public has access to safe, regulated food products.
The Citizen
13-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
ELM cuts wasteful spending, earns praise for financial reforms
Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) won a third-place runner-up award for managing to reduce the 2023/24 financial year's unauthorised, Irregular, Fruitless, and Wasteful Expenditure (UIFW) by 44%. The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) 3rd Annual Municipal Audit Awards were held in Johannesburg on May 30. The award signifies tireless work done by ELM towards attaining a clean audit by reducing financial transactions that violate the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) and other procurement legislation. According to ELM spokesperson Makhosonke Sangweni, for the municipality, the award is not just an accolade, but an encouragement to improve financial management for progressive audit outcomes and service delivery. Reflecting on winning the award, Municipal Manager April Ntuli said ELM is proud to be considered part of municipalities that are committed to financial sustainability and the provision of improved services for consumers. 'I would like to thank the council and its committee for taking a bold decision to deal with all historical UIFW that was accumulating yearly and hampering service delivery for the people of Emfuleni. 'Notwithstanding the financial situation confronting the municipality regarding the high rate of unemployment and the impact it has on payment for services and the overall service delivery, ELM remains committed to being transparent and prudent on how it spends money meant for service delivery programs,' said Ntuli. In a statement, Sangweni said the municipality is aware that the community has lost trust in us and will only be happy when the award is supported by an improved commitment to service delivery. 'Part of the service delivery challenges we have is that of fleet; to mitigate this, the municipality has embarked on a project to improve fleet availability through leasing. This will assist with securing a significantly higher number of vehicles as opposed to outright purchasing,' he said. 'To ensure that the SALGA award is not in vain and that we perform better in the next financial year, the municipality is currently rolling out the installation of electricity meters and concluding the debt rehabilitation campaign in high hopes of improving revenue collection. The municipality is calling on all account holders to pay for services to improve the quality of life in Emfuleni,' he added. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
08-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Ons is gatvol!
VANDERBIJLPARK – Dozens of residents in Vanderbijlpark protested on May 29, following the collapse of service delivery and against the smart meter installation in areas such as Bedworth Park. Singing and chanting struggle songs, both black and white, carried placards to demonstrate their anguish against the Emfuleni Local Municipality. Starting the peaceful march from the Checkers parking lot in Vanderbijlpark CBD, the march slowly moved through the civic centre, disrupting traffic in an attempt to make a significant point. Carrying placards written 'To hell with your BXC smart meters, stop stealing, enough is enough,' among many others. According to a community leader and chairperson of Bedworth Park Residents Association, Abraham Motau, they handed their memorandum of grievances three weeks ago to the offices of the mayor, municipal manager, and the speaker. However, when they arrived at ELM's headquarters, the mayor said he had not received their memorandum. Speaking to Ster South on the sidelines of the march, Motau detailed their stances and what they expected from the municipality. 'August last year, we sent a petition to the municipality about smart meters. We were raising grievances that the municipality can't replace working or effective smart meters because they want to bring something different. Municipalities Systems Act is clear that before the municipality can take any decision where there is an intention, they must get the views of the community. We were not consulted, hence, we want the municipality to stop with the smart meters,' he said. Motau said smart meters are not their only headache. 'Services have collapsed. We go months without refuse collection, pothole-riddled streets, nonworking street lights, continuing electricity interruption, and bad sewer smell. These are issues affecting the community daily, hence the march,' he said. While municipal officials such as MMC of Public Works, Tumi Mochawe, tried to engage the angry group, their demand was clear: that it had to be addressed by the mayor, municipal manager, and the speaker. After half an hour, Mayor Sipho Radebe attended to the demonstrators, but he remained blank on the memorandum. 'I haven't seen that memorandum. I'm going to look for that memorandum, and after I go through it and will give responses,' he said. Responding to the mayor's disappointing message, Belinda Kriel, a resident and real estate agent, said, 'You can't tell us to come another day to get responses for our grievances. People left their jobs, some are sick, yet they are here. We are here for the responses since you received a memorandum.' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
07-06-2025
- Climate
- The Citizen
UPDATE: Vanderbijlpark electricity
VANDERBIJLPARK.- The Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) said, yesterday, Friday, that technicians have completed looping of Ring Main Units (RMUs) and 95% of panel testing. 'Connection of supply cables to RMUs and breakers has also been completed. The team is finalising dry ice cleaning in the town's north switch room and this has led to a slight delay in power restoration. The team will run final tests on the system and then switch on.'
The Citizen
05-06-2025
- The Citizen
Road maintenance staff find decomposed body along Golden Highway
SEBOKENG.- Perhaps had the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) long embarked on cleaning and maintaining service delivery in Sedibeng, a gruesome discovery would long have been made. Sebokeng police are investigating a case of inquest after a decomposed body was spotted by road maintenance staff next to Sebokeng Water Works, along the Golden Highway, on Tuesday afternoon. Police spokesperson, Sergeant Nthabiseng Mokhachane said that the road maintenance staff alleged that they were busy cleaning, and cutting the tall grass, along the Golden Highway when they spotted a decomposed body. 'They summoned for the police and on arrival, the police found a decomposed body of an unknown person. Upon further investigation it was discovered that both legs were detached from the body, and were a few paces away. EMS verified the gender of the deceased as a male and his age was not estimated. The body was taken to the Sebokeng Forensic Pathology for further investigation,' Mokhachane said. The Sebokeng Station Commander, Brigadier Thembekile Kubone, would like to plead with anyone who does not know about their loved one's whereabouts to go to Sebokeng Forensic Pathology Services for further information. The police further plead with the public to assist with any information that may assist with any information that may assist with the investigation. Any person who may have information can contact anonymously contact Sebokeng on 082 498 9563, 016 466 2047, 08600 10111, 10111, 112 or alternatively via MySAPS. The ELM is currently busy with their Operation Phakama Vaal, an operation that aims to clean the Vaal. The week long operation, which started on Monday, is focusing on Sebokeng, Vanderbijlpark, Evaton and Vereeniging mainly tackling illegal dumping, promoting recycling and restoring neglected public space. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
