CITY OF CAPE TOWN
6 MAY 2013
MEDIA RELEASE
City invites public to comment on the Utility Services Business Plans
The business plans will be available for viewing until Friday 31 May 2013 at all municipal libraries and Subcouncil offices and on the City of Cape Town’s website www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay
In order to achieve its goal of being a Well-run City and to improve service delivery, the City of Cape Town’s Utility Services Directorate is inviting residents to comment on the draft business plans for the Solid Waste Management, Water and Sanitation and Electricity Services Departments
The business plans show how the City intends to achieve its objectives with respect to these essential services over the next five years and are reviewed annually.
The business plans seek to address challenges and guide the formulation of improved service delivery processes.
Where to view
The business plans will be available for viewing until Friday 31 May 2013 at all municipal libraries and Subcouncil offices and on the City of Cape Town’s website www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay
How to comment
The City encourages all residents and interested parties to comment through any of the following channels:
· By e-mail to UtilityServicesPlans@capetown.gov.za
· By fax to 086 576 1353
· Via www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay
· Facebook at www.facebook.com/CityofCT
· Twitter at www.twitter.com/CityofCT
· Written comments can be handed in at your nearest subcouncil office
Information on the Departmental plans
Solid Waste Management Department
The seventh review and amendment of the Integrated Waste Management (IWM) Plan consists of operational and support strategies, and contains a schedule of projects and activities. The aim of the IWM Plan is to give effect to the strategies, to manage and minimise waste, to ensure sustainable and affordable services, as well as to comply and meet the objectives of the National Waste Management Strategy, as outlined in the National Environmental Management Waste Act, 2008.
Water and Sanitation Department
The Water Services Development Plan(WSDP) is a guiding document which is updated annually. Every Water Services Authority (WSA) has a duty to all customers or potential customers in its area of jurisdiction to progressively ensure efficient, affordable, economical and sustainable access to water services that promote sustainable livelihoods and economic development. Sections 12 and 13 of the Water Services Act (Act No 108 of 1997) place a duty on WSAs to prepare and maintain a WSDP.
Some of the key Strategic Objectives for 2015/16 are:
· To achieve Green Drop status for 60% of the waste water treatment plants (i.e. 18 plants)
· To achieve 95% waste water effluent quality
· To reduce unaccounted for water to 16% in the next five years
· To provide basic or emergency sanitation services to all residents of the city
· To provide basic water to all residents in the city
· To achieve 90% customer satisfaction levels in all its services
· To minimise river systems’ pollution by reducing sewage overflows by 20%
· To improve revenue collection to 96%
· The WSDP is guided by Chapter 3, Section 12 of the Water Services (Act 108 of 1997).
Electricity Services
The Electricity Distribution Industry (EDI) faces a number of immediate and medium term challenges which the Electricity Services Business Plan plan seeks to address. These are:
· Increasing tariffs and customer’s ability to pay
· Electricity bulk supply constraints (resulting in lower reserve margin and possibly load shedding)
· Need for investment into infrastructure (in terms of new demand and refurbishment)
· Skills shortage
· Challenges associated with carbon emissions, climate change, renewable energy and new technologies
Some of the delivery highlights include:
· Close to R1 billion investment into network infrastructure
· Operationalization of Enterprise asset management to move to planned maintenance of network infrastructure
· Completion of new Bloemhof building and construction of a new training facility
· Large budget for electrification (mostly in Eskom areas) and street lighting
· Quality of supply maintained, but need for investment in infrastructure to refurbish and meet new demand
The major delivery challenges remain as:
· Risks to the continuity of supply to meet customers’ needs
· Increase in theft and vandalism impacting on costs and supply
· Increase in tariffs above the Consumer Price Index and the customer’s ability to pay
The Electricity Business Plan is prepared in alignment with the framework of the National Electricity Regulator of South Africa which was established in terms of the Electricity Regulation Act 4 of 2006, as well as the framework set out in the Electricity Regulation Amendment Act 28 of 2007.
End
Issued by: Integrated Strategic Communication and Branding Department, City of Cape Town
Media Enquiries: Councillor Ernest Sonnenberg, Mayoral Committee member for Utility Services, City of Cape Town, Tel: 021 400 1206, Cell: 083 261 9105, E-mail: ernest.sonnenberg@capetown.gov.za
