Latest news with #Morodi
The Citizen
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Mobile app to bring service delivery closer to residents
The metro has launched a mobile app designed to simplify service delivery reporting for residents. This innovative platform allows users to log service requests, track request progress, and receive real-time updates – all from their smartphones. MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, Kholofelo Morodi, said the platform helps residents by cutting out red tape and long waiting times. He added that the city aims to bring services closer to the people it serves. She said that projections already indicate that the app will cut foot traffic to service centres by up to 40%, freeing up resources for infrastructure development and faster frontline delivery. According to Morodi, this initiative marks a clear break from the 'era of service delivery collapse' and unresponsive governance that plagued the city in recent years. She said, 'The Tshwane App is a ground-breaking mobile platform that places the power of local government directly into the hands of residents. 'This free and easy-to-use app empowers residents to bypass long queues, endless phone calls, and red tape.' Morodi said that everything from reporting power outages and water leaks to paying municipal bills can now all be done instantly from your smartphone. Key features include: – Immediate logging of service faults, with GPS and photo uploads – Real-time tracking of reported issues – no more waiting for slow responses from the metro – Secure, instant bill payments – Integration with WhatsApp and e-Tshwane for wider accessibility. Morodi hailed the Tshwane App as a turning point for clean, digital governance in the city. She stated, 'We are here to fix things. The Tshwane App is a political commitment to transparency, efficiency, and restoring trust. 'Our people are tired of being ignored. This platform ensures they are finally heard and served in real-time.' She explained that this is a digital leap forward that aligns with the smart city strategy. 'One of the key pillars of this administration's vision is for a modern, responsive, and accountable government.' The app is available on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and the Huawei AppGallery. The Tshwane App followed the launch of seven regional WhatsApp channels to provide residents with up-to-date information on service delivery issues. The Mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya, announced the initiative on social media and encouraged residents to subscribe to the relevant regional channels, using the infographics provided by the metro to find out which region they fall into. She said the goal of these digital services is to streamline communication on issues like power outages, water leaks, and potholes. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Government rejects Tshwane's disaster declaration request for Centurion sinkholes
The metro's request for national government intervention regarding Centurion's worsening sinkhole crisis has been rejected. MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, Kholofelo Morodi, recently told Rekord the metro had formally submitted a request to the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) on January 14 for the Clifton Avenue sinkhole to be declared a disaster. 'The submission came from the city's emergency services department, followed by an urgent intervention letter sent on March 25 to several officials.' She said the officials included the ministers of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), and of Electricity and Energy, the Gauteng MEC for Infrastructure and CoGTA, and the CEO of Rand Water. According to Morodi, the NDMC responded on January 30. She said after evaluating the city's report, it concluded that while the sinkhole is severe, it does not meet the legal definition of a disaster under the Disaster Management Act and thus would not be classified as a national disaster. 'The city was advised to reprioritise its internal budget over a multi-year period to address the rehabilitation costs.' Despite this rejection, Morodi confirmed that the city remains committed to securing the help it needs. 'We're continuing to seek multi-stakeholder assistance to manage this crisis,' she added. She mentioned that the provincial CoGTA is currently working with the national department to compile a report for the MEC, which could lead to the sinkholes being classified as a provincial disaster. Morodi said that the metro has not received any funding or support from national government for sinkhole-related repairs. 'The Department of Roads and Transport is not aware of any support or funding being received,' she said. To reduce risks in the most affected areas, the MMC explained that many sinkholes are caused by leaking wet services in older suburbs like Lyttelton Manor, Valhalla, and Laudium. 'These areas are underlain by ageing infrastructure. As a mitigating measure, the city's regional and service departments can provide input to the response and repair of leaks and the upgrading of wet services to dolomite specifications.' This update comes after residents in Centurion raised alarm over their declining property values, road closures, and ongoing safety risks due to the growing number of sinkholes across the area. In Lyttelton, where some of the worst-affected sites are located, homeowners are watching the value of their properties plummet while dealing with the daily inconvenience of blocked roads and safety risks. Juan Dré, a resident of Burger Avenue, is among many who feel abandoned. 'Our property values have depreciated, so should we not pay less in property rates and taxes until the infrastructure has been repaired? 'I mean, nobody's going to buy a house if there's a sinkhole in front of it.' He noted that the sinkholes in the area also affect traffic. 'On Monument Avenue, there's a sinkhole. On Burger Avenue, there's a sinkhole. Both are blocking access.' Another resident, Stacey Smit, said the ongoing sinkhole crisis has left her feeling trapped in a home she can't sell and fearful for her family's safety. 'We invested our savings into this home, thinking it would be our forever house. But now, with a gaping sinkhole just metres from our driveway, we can't even get prospective buyers to consider it.' She said that they've lost value while the metro keeps saying they're working on it. 'We're tired of waiting.' Valhalla resident Stephen Le Roux shared a different concern. 'It's not just about money; it's the psychological toll. Every time it rains, we panic. What if the ground gives way again?' He said that there's a constant sense of uncertainty, and the city doesn't seem to grasp how this affects people over time. With residents voicing their grievances more loudly than ever, local PR councillor Wesley Jacobs has taken matters further. He spearheaded a petition to have a local state of emergency declared in Region 4, collecting about 3 500 signatures from concerned citizens. 'It was submitted on May 29,' said Jacobs. 'There was no response after submission. Eventually, they combined the petition with my motion and sent it to the mayor's office. Now, we are waiting for a comprehensive report on all petitions to be presented to the council.' Jacobs explained that the matter is now being stalled by administrative shortcomings. 'Apparently, the reason they can't even table my motion or approve it is because we don't have certain disaster management acts. We are not fully compliant,' he said. He noted that the provincial disaster management centre conducted an investigation and found Tshwane only partially compliant with the Disaster Management Act. 'Until we meet all requirements, we won't receive funding or directives from them. We were audited and found lacking,' Jacobs added. ALSO READ: Spike in vehicle theft at north shopping centres Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
08-07-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Push for better service delivery in Centurion
The Tshwane metro is working to improve the quality and consistency of service delivery in Centurion with a range of targeted maintenance efforts and long-term structural reforms. This is according to MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, Kholofelo Morodi, who recently outlined the metro's ongoing initiatives in Region 4, where several areas are currently benefiting from a range of daily maintenance operations. She said streetlight maintenance was completed in wards 69, 78, 65, 48, 57, 61, and 64 between June 30 and July 5. 'Areas that received attention during this period include Eldoraigne, Zwartkop, Highveld, Lyttelton, Erasmia, Laudium, Rooihuiskraal, and The Reeds,' said Morodi. Dear residents of Centurion we are happy to announce that after many years of the failed Da Tshwane administration our Centurion R55 street lights are on . We continue to correct the Da 8 years mess #EFFinGovernment — Obakeng COT MMC Environmental Agriculture . (@RamaboduObakeng) July 2, 2025 'At the same time, stormwater infrastructure was serviced in wards 61, 77, 57, and 70, covering locations such as Laudium, Olievenhoutbosch, Sunderland Ridge, Wierdapark, and Lyttelton.' Morodi said grass cutting was conducted between July 1 and 4 in wards 57, 65, 64, 61, and 69, including Die Hoewes, Highveld, Laudium, Rooihuiskraal, and Eldoraigne. Just received work that @CityTshwane Region 4 Urban Management team is cutting grass at Lenchen and Magiel Street, Hennopspark today. Thank you for logging the call🙏🏼 — Henriette Frohlich (@henriettefroh) June 30, 2025 'Tree pruning took place in Pierre van Ryneveld, Wierdapark, The Reeds, and Eldoraigne, that fall within wards 70, 64, 69, and 79.' Thank you, @CityTshwane Region 4 Urban Management Team for trimming trees that were touching overhead wires at Villagers Lane, Irene. #CenturionMatters — Henriette Frohlich (@henriettefroh) June 23, 2025 She added that these functions form part of daily operations in the metro and are not tied to a fixed project timeline. 'Maintenance work takes place every day and includes potholes, tree pruning, grass cutting, stormwater, and streetlights. 'Our goal is to ensure equitable service delivery to all areas without prejudice,' she said. To strengthen internal capacity and reduce reliance on private contractors, Morodi confirmed that on June 3, the metro has acquired additional cherry pickers, as part of its plan to purchase 100 in total. Good morning Tshwane. We've have just unveiled 14 Cherry Pickers that will be distributed to our regional teams to enhance service delivery. This first batch of 14 vehicles forms part 100 that we expect in this financial year. For years, our workforce has grappled with a shortage… — Dr Nasiphi Moya (@nasiphim) June 3, 2025 'The cherry pickers are a vital part of improving electricity and streetlight repairs, while also supporting functions such as tree pruning. It's part of a broader strategy to enhance in-house capability and cut unnecessary costs,' she said. The metro has also refurbished and reopened the Pretorius Park Depot, which will now focus on servicing water, sanitation, and electricity vehicles. 'The depot, previously shut due to a shift toward outsourcing, now boasts modern technology that can identify driver negligence and ensure accountability through improved supervision. 'This is a key move toward ensuring quicker response times and better control over municipal resources,' Morodi added. She added that to further support parks and horticultural services, the metro recently allocated R11-million to procure tools and equipment across all seven regions. She said the metro has started purchasing a total of 687 various tools and equipment, such as ride-on rotary mowers, mechanical hedge pruners, chainsaws, brush cutters, and pole pruners. Good morning Tshwane. Today, we are arming our workforce with tools of the trade. We are handing over handover the first batch of over 450 pieces of horticultural equipment to further accelerate service delivery throughout our city. This equipment will be distributed across our 7… — Dr Nasiphi Moya (@nasiphim) July 2, 2025 In Olievenhoutbosch, resident Sizakhele Skhosana said she was pleased to see recent repairs to streetlights near the clinic on Legong Street. 'Walking in the early morning darkness was a daily reality for many of us. I had to take my children to the clinic before sunrise, and it was terrifying.' She recalled instances where she had to hold her breath and walk fast every time she heard footsteps behind her. 'Since the lights were fixed, things have changed. I finally feel safe on those streets. It's a big relief, and I hope the city keeps it up,' said Skhosana. Ward 106 Councillor, Kenneth Masha, confirmed the repairs and said he was informed ahead of the work on both Legong and Rethabile streets, and this allowed him to monitor progress. However, he expressed concern over communication gaps with city officials. 'Some maintenance work is well executed, but too often the teams don't inform us. That makes it hard to track what's been done and to give accurate feedback to residents. 'I understand the MMC acts on input from the regional councillors' forum, and I can't fault her for that, but the ground-level teams must improve their coordination with councillors.' In Valhalla, resident Isaiah Le Roux said he's noticed improvements, but believes the metro still has work to do. 'It's clear the metro is trying, and we appreciate the effort, but we need better communication. We often don't know what's happening until it's already done, or until we notice something hasn't been fixed.' Councillors from other wards shared concerns about inconsistent delivery. Ward 69 Councillor Cindy Billson said some backfilling had been completed, but other work was done poorly. 'Streetlight maintenance in June focused mostly on Ward 70, not ours. I've approved two community projects where residents will handle their own streetlight installations, and we're planning a larger one for the ward,' she said. In her update to residents on her June 2025 Region 4 report, Billson mentioned that 49 out of 99 pothole repair requests in Ward 69 had been addressed and completed, but that five service trenches remain open. 'On electricity, the number of abnormal feeder cables has dropped from 107 in October 2023 to 41 in May 2025.' Billson added that vandalism of substations continues to contribute to power outages. 'Water service performance has been more positive, with 87 out of 103 complaints resolved in May, and all 30 wastewater complaints fully addressed.' Ward 70 Councillor Marika Kruger Muller criticised the current process for streetlight maintenance prioritisation. 'Councillors are asked to pick three or four streets for repairs, which I believe is unfair. That system ignores long-standing complaints and opens the door to favouritism. 'I also receive complaints about unresolved issues that are marked as fixed, and that's very worrying.' Ward 64 Councillor Alta de Kock said with the recent maintenance work, little impact was felt in her ward. 'Only one block had grass cut. Streetlights are still a major concern, and cable theft is another huge issue. One of the traffic lights has been out for more than a week. Substation security is a priority right now.' Ward 57 Councillor David Farquharson said some parks had been maintained well and a few streetlights fixed, but overall progress has been slow. 'There's a major reorganisation underway to split water and electricity into separate departments under a regional operations centre. 'That could be positive, but right now water repairs are taking too long, and that's concerning.' Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
07-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Tshwane relaunches Employee Service Excellence Awards to honour public service
Councillor Kholofelo Morodi says the City of Tshwane will recognise exceptional service with its revamped Employee Service Excellence Awards. Image: Supplied/ City of Tshwane The City of Tshwane's relaunched Employee Service Excellence Awards will honour outstanding municipal employees who consistently demonstrate exceptional public service. Councillor Kholofelo Morodi, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Corporate and Shared Services, expressed confidence that the revamped awards will revive a culture of excellence in public service in Tshwane. 'This initiative reflects our unwavering belief that operational excellence begins with people. It recognises that everyday acts of commitment, creativity, and care are the true drivers of a responsive, citizen-centric city,' she said. She said the awards will recognise individuals and teams who embody the Batho Pele principles, demonstrating innovation under pressure, swift response to community needs, and ethical conduct that fosters trust in the institution. 'This relaunch is grounded in transparent and inclusive processes, ensuring representation across departments, pay grades, and service areas. Whether it is a worker maintaining critical infrastructure or an administrator streamlining vital services, these awards are about honouring impact at every level,' she said. She explained that the City aims to create a professional environment where excellence is ingrained, nurtured, and rewarded, and the relaunched awards demonstrate its commitment to a performance-driven culture aligned with core values. 'On behalf of the mayoral committee, I extend heartfelt appreciation to all municipal employees. Your work matters. Your integrity strengthens this institution. And your excellence shapes the future of our city,' Morodi said. She also announced the onboarding of 100 new cleaning personnel to build internal capacity and end exploitative outsourcing practices.
The Citizen
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Tshwane unveils new cherry pickers to get services off the ground
Tshwane unveils new cherry pickers to get services off the ground Non-functional streetlights and non-regular tree pruning could be things of the past for Tshwane after the metro unveiled a fleet of 14 cherry pickers to get service delivery off the ground. The metro unveiled 14 out of its 100 cherry picker fleet on June 3, aimed to reduce reliance on costly private contractors, improve service delivery turnaround times and address deteriorating services. Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya and MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, Kholofelo Morodi, officially received the fleet of new cherry pickers and oversaw the reopening of the Pretorius Park fleet workshop in the east of Pretoria. Approval of Embedded Generation and Energy Wheeling Policies-a bog step on the City's energy transition Media Statement @CityTshwane @kholofeloMorodi @nasiphim — MMC Frans Boshielo (@MMCBoshielo) June 2, 2025 According to Morodi, this forms part of his administration's broader strategy to reduce dependence on private contractors and rebuild the city's internal technical and operational capacity. 'The acquisition of municipal-owned cherry pickers is aimed at enabling city departments to carry out critical maintenance and repairs directly, without the delays and excessive costs associated with outsourcing,' she said. Morodi said for years, basic services in Tshwane were handed over to external contractors, often at enormous expense to ratepayers. 'During this period, internal departments were left without the tools, personnel or infrastructure to respond effectively to community needs,' she explained. 'The result was slower turnaround times, poor accountability, and deteriorating service delivery.' Morodi explained the importance of reopening the Pretorius Park depot. 'The reopening of the Pretorius Park depot gives the city an operational hub to manage its growing fleet, ensuring quicker response times, better control over resources, and improved transparency in the use of public funds,' she said. 'The workshop was closed due to outsourcing of workshop services. The reopening of this facility will enable the metro to enhance fleet management capabilities, reduce downtime, and improve overall efficiency using its own internal staff,' she added. According to Morodi, the workshop will focus on vehicles for water and sanitation, energy and electricity, thereby reducing the turnaround time for repairs of vehicles servicing these critical departments. 'The handover of cherry pickers and the revival of the fleet workshop reflect a shift in focus: away from private interests and toward public value. These developments form part of a wider effort to fix the fundamentals of service delivery – getting resources to the ground where they are most needed and ensuring communities receive reliable, dignified services.' We had promised residents that we build in-house capability and reduce reliance on contractors. Today's launch also included the re-opening of the City of Tshwane's Pretorius Park Workshop Depot. This workshop was closed for over 6 years as the City relied on contractors and… — Dr Nasiphi Moya (@nasiphim) June 3, 2025 Moya said the unveiled cherry pickers will be distributed to regional teams to enhance service delivery. 'This first batch of 14 vehicles forms part 100 that we expect in this financial year,' she said. She said for years, the Tshwane workforce has grappled with a shortage of tools to do its work. This is a turning point in providing reliable services to our residents. 'We have over 18 000 officials in Tshwane. They were all complaining about tools of trade, so we are on the right step of providing them with tools to do their work. 'We had promised residents we would build in-house capability and reduce reliance on contractors,' she said. The Pretorius Park Workshop Depot was closed for over six years as the city relied on contractors and further located depots to service vehicles. Moya said some other equipment and trade tools will be unveiled this financial year. Just rode in one of our brand-new cherrypickers at the Pretorius Park Depot. This isn't just a vehicle — it's a symbol of Tshwane valuing our workers as well, which is why these trucks have a crew cab. We're rebuilding capacity, cutting waste, and delivering for our people.… — Kholofelo Morodi (@kholofeloMorodi) June 3, 2025 Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
