Under governance of the Democratic Alliance, Nama Khoi Municipality is no longer drowning in debt. It is on a much stronger financial footing, having successfully qualified for the full write-off of legacy Eskom debt through disciplined financial management and compliance with the debt-relief programme.
Over the past five years, getting Nama Khoi’s finances back on track has been our biggest priority.
When we entered local government, the municipality faced enormous financial challenges, with almost R500 million owed to Eskom and the Vaal Central Water Board.
Many people doubted whether Nama Khoi could recover. We refused to accept that. We rolled up our sleeves, strengthened governance, improved revenue collection, controlled spending, tackled waste and worked with creditors to find a way forward.
The results speak for themselves. Nama Khoi has not only cleared the R210 million Eskom legacy debt, but of the R280 million legacy debt owed to the Vaal Central Water Board, there is only R35 million remaining.
This is about much more than figures on a balance sheet. It means freeing the municipality from the burden of historical debt and creating greater opportunity to direct resources towards the services people rely on every day.
Nama Khoi is now moving from financial recovery to service delivery investment as it strengthens electricity, water and sanitation infrastructure to build a stronger foundation for better services.
There is still work to do but we know what is possible when a municipality is managed with discipline, clean governance and a real commitment to change.
On 4 November, with voters’ support, we will take the next step, building on this financial recovery and delivering the service excellence our communities deserve. This is not about promises but real progress, hard work and results.