The focus in Thulamela has shifted from the provision of electricity to roads. The local municipality is also exploring all means to provide jobs and alleviate the burden of unemployment.
During his State of the Municipality address two weeks ago, mayor Avhashoni Tshifhango highlighted the priorities and projects for the new financial year. "We have worked hard to end the politics of who's to blame, and instead, to ask what are we going to do to make our community and its people better," he said.
Thulamela's budget for the 2018/19 financial year increased by 7% to a total projected income of R814m. Council opted to do away with the development levies, which caused a significant drop in revenue. It also seems, judged by the budget speech, that Thulamela still battles to collect rates and taxes, with almost half of the billed income (47%) provided for as possible bad debts. "An amount of R70m will be provided for as doubtful debts due to non-payment of our debtors on the billed services and traffic fines," Tshifhango said.
The tariff increases to fund the higher costs anticipated in the next year were set at 5,3%. The mayor did not expand on the increases, but it is believed this will be across the board for all services rendered.
Mayor Tshifango said that the municipality had managed to provide electricity connections to all households, except in the new extensions. In the new year, R35m is set aside to provide electricity to villages such as Tshilapfene and Tshisaulu. In total, 10 000 indigent consumers will receive free basic electricity.
The focus for the new year is on roads and more than R218m is set aside for this purpose. The Tshififi to Dzingahe Road is scheduled for completion this year and R153m is set aside for this 13,1-km project.
Council has set aside R62m to complete the tarring of Thohoyandou Unit C's streets. The Mapate access road (R1,2m), the Makhuvha Ring road (R1m) and the Gwangwatini Low-Level Bride (R1,5m) will also receive attention.
Sports enthusiasts will be delighted to hear that R20,5m was budgeted for the construction of facilities at the Makwarela Stadium. Among others, the pitch and the athletics track will be upgraded and multipurpose courts will be constructed. The pavilion and entrance gate will also receive attention.
Makonde Stadium will receive a new jacket, with R20m budgeted for a new pitch, pavilion, multipurpose courts and a swimming pool.
Two landfill sites will receive attention. The Gundani landfill site will receive a R1,3m injection, while R2,2m is set aside for the construction of the Thohoyandou landfill site.
Cutbacks were made in terms of expenditure. The budget for providing an indigent subsidy dropped from R25m to R17m. Legal costs are also to be curbed and this expense has gone down from R13m to R8m.
The cost of salaries and wages is expected to increase by 7,1%, from R237m last year to R268m in the 2018/19 year.