COME CLEAN CAMPAIGN

On Friday, 26 October 2018 Eskom launched their “Come Clean, be legal” campaign for the Greater Tzaneen Municipality at Nkowankowa Community Hall. The campaign according to, Eskom’s Provincial Manager for Energy Trading, Lethekwane Mothogoane is aimed at encouraging customers who are using but not paying for Eskom electricity to come forward and get amnesty.
Mothogoane said that “Those who come clean will not be disconnected and Eskom will not charge them for period that they did not pay for electricity used.

Customers who fall under the category that Eskom is targeting include those with tampered meters, bypassed meters, faulty meters, illegally connected meters, illegal prepaid electricity vouchers and meters not installed by Eskom approved service providers.

Customers who come clean will only pay a R3000 remedial fee while those who refuse to report themselves will have to fork out R6000 and will be disconnected until the amount is fully paid. Mothogoane said that those who illegally reconnect themselves will be prosecuted. 
Addressing the gathering, Mayor Maripe Mangena welcomed the initiative but cautioned Eskom to work with ward councillors and community stakeholders for the campaign to be a success.

Mangena said that those who can have the means pay for electricity must pay and those who cannot must be able to fill in the necessary forms for exemption or to get help from the municipality.

The mayor also took the opportunity to call on Eskom to intensify their community social investment. “I want to one day to be invited to open of Crèche built by Eskom here in Tzaneen to an even where Eskom will announce that 20 young people from Mopani will be taken to university by Eskom”

Eskom is reportedly losing R20 billion annually due to illegal connections. Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Free State and Kwazulu-Natal have been identified as the hotspots for illegal connection.

Eskom is calling on the community to report those people they suspect of illegal connection.

Runnymede gets R10 000 for harvesting the most addresses

Council Speaker Dikeledi Mmetle today (Friday, 19 October 2018) handed over R10 000 to the ward committees of Runnymede Cluster for harvesting the most addresses in the "Address Harvesting Programme" of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

GTM has been working on the IEC campaign to get physical addresses for voters in preparation for the 2019 general election.

The constitutional court ruled in 2016 that the voters roll should contain addresses of voters and gave the IEC 18 months to fix the problem.

Runnymede cluster which is made of 7 wards (2, 3, 4, 5,6,12 & 13) has visited 1636 voters in three weeks. All four cluster which include Lesedi, Relela and Bulamahlo

Greater Tzaneen Municipality

AGATHA CEMETERY GETS A FACELIFT

Work to upgrade the Agatha Cemetery next to Flora Park has begun and is expected to be concluded by the end of November 2018. The project incorporates the construction of a drainage system to control soil erosion as well as grabbing and clearing to make provision for new graves.

A river stream exists between the area currently used for burial and the new site where new graves will be located, this makes it impossible to access the new site. As part of the upgrade a 2.4m x 1.8m low level bridge will be built across the river stream to allow mourners and families access to the new site. The new gravesite will cover 1.7 hectors.

Mayor Maripe Mangena said that the project will address numerous complaints raised by residents in relation to the state of the cemetery and the fact that the commentary has reached its capacity. The project will cost R3.5 million inclusive of professional fees. Moepeng Trading 40 cc was appointed as the contractor.

Cemeteries in Nkowankowa and Lenyenye have also reached their capacities. The municipality has established a new cemetery to cater for Lenyenye. In Nkowankowa there is still a legal dispute on the land earmarked for the extension. The matter is still before the courts.

Acting Mayor Councillor Star Mbhalati today presented to Council the Greenest Municipality Competition (GMC) 1st Runner-up Award won by the GTM during the 7th Greneest Municipality Awards held at the Southern Sun, Empangeni, Durban on 14 August 2018. The Award comes with a trophy and R3 million prize money. The special council is currently underway at the Council Chambers in the Civic Center in Tzaneen.
In the picture are from left to right: Aleck Nkuna (Director for Community Services, Councillor Lettie Hlangwane (Head of the Health , Environment & Social Services and member of EXCO), Councillor Star Mbhalati (Acting Mayor) and Thapelo Matlala (Municipal Manager).