Rustenburg – The economy of the country has deteriorated due to the strike in the platinum sector, the mayor of Moses Kotane local municipality Fetsang Mokati-Thebe said on Friday.
“Our economy has deteriorated. I have full confidence in the current leadership that it has capacity to resolve the current efforts of negotiation for positive resolutions that will see sanity prevailing,” she said during her budget speech in Madikwe outside Rustenburg.
She said people of Bojanala Platinum District Municipality and Moses Kotane in particular, were most affected by the platinum strike.
Bojanala platinum district municipality is made up of Rustenburg, Moses Kotane, Kgetlengrevier, Madibeng and Moretele local municipalities.
Mineworkers affiliated to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) at Lonmin [JSE:LON][14], Impala Platinum [JSE:IMP][15], and Anglo American Platinum [JSE:AMS][16] downed tools on January 23 demanding a basic monthly salary of R12 500.
They have rejected the companies’ offer that would up their cash remuneration to R12 500 by July 2017.
Amplats mines in Limpopo draw labour from villages within the Moses Kotane municipality.
Tabling her budget of R682m, Mokati-Thebe said the budget made provision for new infrastructure in the municipality through municipal infrastructure grant (MIG) funding as one of the sources of financing of the capital programme.
“Our main priority is provision of basic services. Hence our full focus has been directed towards other sources of water, and I am also proud to share with the house that more than R7m has been allocated to ground water optimisation projects which will benefit communities.”
“In response to your outcry with regard to roads and storm water the municipality has allocated an amount of R68.1 million for construction of internal roads and storm water projects.”
R14m has been allocated to Street lighting.
She said R27m was allocated for purchasing five water tankers, two tipper trucks, two graders and everyday-use vehicles.
She said the budget made provision for 182 permanent jobs.
“For all the capital projects to be implemented we have encouraged the contractors to make use of the local labour mainly to reduce unemployment,” she said.
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NSS (no sh*t Sherlock). They can find their credit cards, art in overseas chicken outlets, blue lights wherever they go but not their a**es from their elbows. Platinum mining has been tortured since 2006 and woes documented since 2001. 13 Years of indifference and torment. Don’t agree with the pay demands but fully support their gatvol-ness. Shunted and shafted between Unions Local, National and mining companies. AMCU et cie have the wrong solution because they don’t understand the underlying problem. Policies, Processes, Procedures, Agreements and somewhere in all that a plethora of legislation. It’s a classic Alliance trick to do nothing and perpetuate hate
All these municipalutiea listed by Mayor have not receive a good service even before the strike.The reality is corruption is all over so how can we get excellent service whereas corruption is busy in operation.Moses Kitane is the worst municipality.You will hear that there’s budget allocated for infrastructure the next thing nothing is done and the allocated budget is nowhere to be found.Stop accusing mine strike for the dirty job done by municipalities.Majority of resigned municipality employees got tenders from the very same municipality they have been working for after that service is not delivered accordingly because it is a chain of corruption.”Resign and apply for tender i will process the papers then we share”That’s how they operate.Until these municipalities do what is right they will always look for something they could blame for service delivery.How many poor villages in Moses Kotane without water and street lights?but there is always a budget allocated for that.This need to be stopped please.Mere RDP’are given favourite ppls.If u didn’t vote for the rullin party you won’t get an RDP.Ohh Here!