Basic Service Delivery

Water and sanitation are one of the most basic needs in our society and a primary municipal development mandate within the Republic of South Africa. Mpofana Municipality still has a significant backlog regarding water and sanitation in certain areas. Wards 2 and 4 are most affected by a lack of access to suitable water and sanitation. These two wards are primarily rural with a fragmented household landscape and could contribute to the slow service delivery progress in these areas.

Energy Source: There has been substantial improvement in the percentages of households that use electricity for lighting purposes. Most households using electricity are located in the urban centres of the municipality, more especially Mooi River, Bruntville and Rosetta. The use of candles has proven to have hazardous effects, and the development of the Electricity Sector Plan within the current IDP will adequately address areas requiring lighting. Within the current context of the electricity crisis in South Africa, it would be imperative for the municipality to promote alternative sources of electricity hence addressing the shortages. It cannot be denied that significant backlogs exist as far as access to Electricity is concerned that’s why 5 million rands was set aside for the Electrification Project, which will aid in dealing with these backlogs in the affected wards( Wards 2 and 4). The Municipality currently does not have an Energy Sector Plan, but this is receiving the attention it deserves. This is to be developed soon seeing that many houses will be electrified. The municipality services wards 1, 2, 3 and 5 with electricity, while Eskom services mostly rural areas wards 2 and 4. The municipality purchases the electricity from Eskom, which sells to the community and industries in the Mpofana area. It should also be noted that the Department of Minerals and Energy, in partnership with Mpofana Municipality, is currently installing 5000 Solar geysers to assist households in minimizing the usage of Eskom Electricity.

Solid Waste Management: The municipality is responsible for waste collection. There has been a 30 % increase in household refuse collection services since 2001 and household refuses since 1996. There is a Compactor Truck that was purchased in 2012. Due to the increasing number of households, two new trucks will be procured in the year under review. There is a need to provide refuse collection services to areas 40 km to 80km from Mooi River CBD. The lack of a Landfill Site in wards 2 and 4 severely threatens those communities. There is a need to develop another landfill site.

Although most households have their refuse removed regularly, significant amounts still have their garbage dumped, which poses a health hazard to the citizenry of Mpofana. Khobokedi assists in educating the community about recycling. Another project has recently been launched, a recycling project that community members lead.

Mpofana has a landfill site that is serviced by, Mpofana. The Municipality’s landfill site has existed for a considerable amount of time. A business plan was prepared for a new landfill site. However, the land issue remains challenging. The municipality hires a compactor which helps bury the dirt. It is also worth mentioning that Mpofana municipality has looked at other options for Waste Management Plan. There have been proposals from prospective investors where an initiative to convert waste to energy has been tabled to manage waste better and to deal with the energy crisis facing our country. This proposal has been well received. Another proposal has come to the attention of the municipality.

Transport Infrastructure: The primary transport route within the municipality is the N3 Route that traverses and links Pietermaritzburg and Durban to the south and, ultimately, the Gauteng Highveld to the north and northwest. The road network map shows that most households in the Municipality enjoy access to roads at regional, district and local levels. The municipality is strategically located on national, provincial and regional routes. Major connector roads within the municipal area include the following:

N3, which is a national corridor.
R103 (P1-8), which is adjacent to the N3.
R622 (P14-2) to Greytown and beyond.
P164 to Drakensberg.
P175 to Mtshezi

Several regional distributor roads spread relatively even throughout the municipal area, improving the relative accessibility of most settlements and households in the municipality. Many households are also serviced through lower-order, district or local roads. The map does not indicate the condition of the roads in terms of maintenance and quality.

Access to Community facilities: The IDP has two authorized cemetery sites, the table below indicates where there are backlogs, needs and priorities for all community facilities over and above the facilities. Below the graph shows communities' access to facilities in the Mpofana area. This is broken down per ward and the number of those facilities per ward.