A NIGEL-based company is investing about R15 million on its assembly plant to get it up to scratch to facilitate the Gautrain project.

THE Ekurhuleni Municipality is hosting a series of tourism workshops to assist emerging entrepreneurs

MAYOR Lentheng Mekgwe has vowed to place her energies and skills at the disposal of the community she serves.

THE municipality has budgeted for the revamp of 64 informal sports fields by 2010 as part of its contribution to the development of football.

THE municipality has launched a "Back to School" campaign to help destitute school children in the region.

The Take Charge campaign encourages community members to empower themselves by getting involved in making their neighbourhoods safer.

The Take Charge campaign encourages community members to empower themselves by getting involved in making their neighbourhoods safer.

The Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa gives the municipality's waste division a merit award for outstanding work.

The municipality is spending over R70 million to replace a fleet of old buses and hopes to get a further 22 new buses in the current financial year.

The metro is currently drafting an informal trading policy document which is aimed at providing guidelines that will be acceptable to all sectors of the economy.

The metro's executive mayor Duma Nkosi recently reported back to the community on the local authority's current status, its accomplishments and future goals.

The Gauteng government is to launch a programme to provide viable accommodation, with security of tenure, for people living in backyard shacks in 20 designated townships. The multi-billion rand Top 20 Townships programme will be officially launched on Wednesday, 13 September.

As part of its drive to attract business to Ekurhuleni, the metro council has convened a major summit to discuss ways of attracting and retaining business.

The people of Ekurhuleni celebrated Women's Month with art and music at the annual Vuka Basadi Craft Fair on Sunday,13 August.

In February, Premier Mbhazima Shilowa announced a R3-billion project to give a facelift to about 20 townships in the province of Gauteng over a period of three years. Residents in Duduza, Ekurhuleni will be the first to benefit.

A comprehensive long-term plan to accelerate the delivery of houses and eradicate all informal settlements in Ekurhuleni has been unveiled.

"Air quality is a problem worldwide and Ekurhuleni is no exception," said city manager Paul Maseko at the launch of the Metro's Air Quality Management (AQM) Plan.

The country's second Regional Electricity Distributor (RED) will be launched early next year. Municipalities that will benefit from Red Two include Ekurhuleni and Mangaung.

In its quest to provide a healthier environment for all residents, the Ekurhuleni Municipality has installed two air-quality monitoring stations.

Unveiling the Metro's budget for the 2005/2006 financial year on Thursday, 26 May, Executive Mayor Councillor Duma Nkosi said the budget sought to deal with a myriad challenges.

The Ekurhuleni Metro has faced up to the challenge of tackling the HIV/Aids pandemic with a multipronged approach - involving both residents and municipal employees.

Ekurhuleni Mayor Duma Nkosi announced that the council had resolved to prioritise and fast track the delivery of houses for those who have been on the list since 1996 and 1997.

Gauteng Development Planning and Local Government MEC Trevor Fowler has launched a R18 million project to provide clean water and proper sanitation to some communities on the East Rand, including Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council.

Ekurhuleni's Executive Mayor Duma Nkosi has once again launched the Budget Tips campaign, in which the residents are invited to forward their inputs and suggestions for spending priorities during for the 2004/2005 Financial Year.