Merafong City and Gauteng CoGTA Agree on Turnaround Strategy
- Karen Scheepers
- Aug 13
- 2 min read
On 12 August 2025, the Gauteng Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) and Merafong City Local Municipality held a high-level bilateral meeting to address pressing service delivery challenges and identify ways to unlock the municipality’s economic potential. The engagement was led by Gauteng MEC for CoGTA Jacob Mamabolo and Merafong City Executive Mayor Cllr Nozuko Best.
Meeting Outcomes
The meeting reaffirmed a shared commitment to sustainable, future-focused solutions. Merafong City leadership presented an update on the municipality’s state, outlining interventions, achievements, and ongoing challenges.
CoGTA will support the municipality in line with the Municipal Systems Act, the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), and the Disaster Management Act.
Priority areas include:
Urgent infrastructure repairs, especially in sinkhole-prone and critical service delivery areas.
Implementation of smart meters to reduce losses.
Improvements in cash flow and indigent management.
Refinement of the municipal turnaround strategy.
10-Point Intervention Plan
Water Security – Collaboration with Rand Water to address supply constraints, reduce non-revenue water losses, and improve infrastructure efficiency.
Revenue Generation and Financial Recovery – Development of a joint plan to improve revenue collection, enabling improved service delivery and financial sustainability.
Building a Smart and Sustainable Economy – Exploration of opportunities to create a green, sustainable local economy through investor engagement.
Improved Communication and Stakeholder Engagement – Strengthening intergovernmental relations and collaboration with community structures, businesses, and government departments.
Management of Sinkholes – Strategic rehabilitation of sinkhole-prone areas, supported by multi-stakeholder roundtable discussions.
By-Law Enforcement and Public Safety – Strengthened law enforcement in partnership with relevant agencies.
Human Resources Development – Finalising the organisational structure of the municipality.
Improved Audit Outcomes – Measures to sustain and improve performance in the next audit cycle.
Smart Metering Roll-out – Expansion of infrastructure to support smart meter usage.
Strengthened Intergovernmental Relations – Including financial management collaborations.
Remarks
MEC Mamabolo highlighted the importance of cooperation across all spheres of government to address the province’s 13+1 critical municipal challenges, focusing on coordinated action and measurable progress.
Executive Mayor Best stated that the discussions aimed not only to address existing problems but also to build the “Merafong City of the future,” aligning with the municipality’s Vision 2035 goals.
Looking Ahead
The bilateral meeting between CoGTA and Merafong City resulted in agreement on a 10-point turnaround strategy targeting infrastructure, financial stability, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable economic development. The strategy will be implemented in partnership with multiple government and community stakeholders.
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