He said while the metro was financially secure, it faced certain challenges in terms of obtaining a qualified audit report. "We are addressing the issue to ensure that the new accounting standards, which require a new approach to asset management, are met."
Nkosi said the metro had embarked on "Project Clean Audit Report", with all its departments expected to comply, so that the metro can receive an unqualified audit report.
The levels of services payment were estimated at between 89% and 90% during the past few years, but a serious effort was being made to improve debt-collection.
The writing off of bad-debt incurred by all registered indigents, commenced in the 2006/7 financial year and a debt-management framework has been approved by the council and was expected to be implemented soon.
Global Credit Ratings (GCR), an international agency, has given the metro short and long-term credit ratings of AA and A+, respectively.
"It confirms that the Ekurhuleni metro is showing solid credit worthiness, with strong protection measures in place," Nkosi said.
The agency confirmed that the metro has a very good balance sheet, with strong cash flows and sound liquidity.
This year the local authority is geared towards implementing a budget aligned to its Integrated Development Plan (IDP), with spending and raising of revenue in support of the IDP.
With regard to crime, the mayor reported significant decreases, but said that serious and violent crime levels in the region, were still unacceptably high.
"Contact crimes are often drug and alcohol-abuse related and an indication of deeper social problems where more than 80% of the victims know their attackers."
The mayor said drug-related crimes had increased by about 52% during the past five years.
During Ekurhuleni metro police department's Operation Iron Fist initiative, officers made 1 512 arrests between June 2006 and February 2007. A total of 489 936 speeding violations were recorded in that period and metro police had their hands full with more than 10 000 municipal bylaw violations.
The establishment of a green-lung was essential to the well-being of residents, the mayor said, adding that parks were being developed in Marievale and Duduza; and that Kwa-Thema and Spruitview were receiving an environmental make-over.
The establishment of Siluma and Dries Niemandt parks are also under way.
Facilities are being upgraded at Boksburg and Germiston lakes and Alberton Dam, to provide better recreational facilities for local residents who like to picnic, braai and take part in water sport.
The municipal health department chalked up some successes, with the Tuberculosis cure rate improving from 52% in 2005 to nearly 70% in 2006, through awareness campaigns.
The testing of babies born to HIV-positive mothers with the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test at six weeks was introduced in all the municipal clinics last year.
Providing adequate shelter for all Ekurhuleni's residents remains an ongoing challenge.
A Comprehensive Sustainable Human Settlements Plan was adopted last August and the metro is negotiating with the Development Bank of South Africa and the national and provincial housing departments, to activate a funding plan to expedite human settlement developments.
The initiative is also aimed at meeting the needs of communities in terms of access to water, sanitation, electricity, shelter, roads and stormwater drainage.
A strategic committee has been assigned to investigate the suitability of land for the purposes of integrated and sustainable settlements, by ensuring that the government's mixed-use and income objectives are met.
Source: Ekurhuleni.com
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