Lucas Shongwe, Simphiwe Jennifer, Nelisiwe Skosana & Rodney Hlatshwayo
Nkangala District – The Nkangala District comprising six municipalities is grappling with a number of challenges such as unfulfilled promises, unemployment, nepotism, water and electricity outages.
The over 1,6 million residents in the district are eager to hear what mayor Thomas Ngwenya has to say when he delivers his State of the District Address (SoDA) on Tuesday, 19 August 2025 at the Sydney Choma Banquet Hall, Middelburg.
The Highveld Chronicle connected with residents from five of the six local municipalities to understand their hopes for the upcoming SoDA.
A local vocal resident in the Emakhazeni Local Municipality, who was once assaulted for being critical towards political leaders, said: “Projects seem to come and go without our involvement, leaving us stuck in our challenging economic conditions. It appears that only those connected to politicians and certain municipal leaders are reaping the benefits.”
The resident also highlighted that the very town, Belfast, which District Mayor Ngwenya hails from, is deteriorating and hopes the mayor will include projects that will improve his hometown.
Sydney Mohlala from Cry of the Xcluded, an organisation launched in 2020 to unite the working class in the struggle for jobs, services and dignity, said a pressing issue concerning the residents in Emalahleni municipality is the struggle to access clean water.
The community in Siyanqoba, Mohlala said, has endured a staggering nine years without a reliable water source and have been forced to rely on water trucks for their needs.
“There was an initiative from the District aimed at enhancing the water supply in Ezinambeni, particularly in wards 1, 4 and 5. Unfortunately, the JoJo tanks that were set up proved inadequate to meet the needs of everyone, despite assurances that this project would bring positive change and reliable water access,” he said. “Even though we have councillors at the district level, the community seems to have lost faith that the District Municipality will fulfill its promises, as they feel let down by repeated failures.”
In 2023, under the leadership of mayor Leah Mabuza, the Emalahleni Municipality installed a raw water pipe, running from Highveld Steel to point E reservoir to relieve the strain of lack of access to water, but some areas in Ward 29 are still without consistent water supply.
“This scarcity not only impacts those residents but also extends to neighborhoods like Extension 11 and Empumelelweni in Ward 23. Furthermore, areas relying on point C and D reservoirs are also facing challenges with their water supplies lasting no more than three days,” he added.
Recently, the publication highlighted the Emalahleni municipality’s ambitious water infrastructure maintenance project, launched on 21 July 2025, aimed at ensuring reliable water supply. However, Mohlala claims this initiative has done little to improve access in areas such as Klarinet, extensions 5 and 14 and phase four from Ezinambeni.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve experienced a shutdown in Emalahleni. Shortly after the current mayor took office, we faced a similar shutdown lasting a week, during which we were informed that the goal was to enhance the water situation. Although we hoped for improvement, residents continued to struggle with water access,” said Mohlala.
In the Steve Tshwete Municipality, a local resident Wanda Nkosi, who runs a small tutoring business in Middelburg, expressed that he hopes the SoDA prioritises the economy of spaza shops for the black majority, specifically South Africans.
Nkosi went on to share his own experiences, noting that budding entrepreneurs like himself have benefited very little from either past or current district initiatives. “I aspire to expand my initiative and hire more tutors so we can reach even more learners,” he said.
Regarding the upcoming SoDA, Nkosi added, “I don’t expect to hear anything innovative or substantial from the Mayor, as this ANC-led administration seems to lack the political will to instigate positive change at the local government level.”
In the local municipality of Victor Khanye, Nhlanhla Sitoe, a community member, voiced his two main concerns: sewer water treatment and wetland rehabilitation.
Sitoe applauded the efforts made to fix the sewer water treatment plant but expressed his disappointment regarding the lack of budget for cleaning and restoring the affected stream and wetland.
“The pollution from sewer spills has taken a serious toll on our environment and we must act swiftly to address this issue,” he said. “I strongly encourage the authorities to make this a priority and allocate the necessary funds for these rehabilitation efforts.”
The Victor Khanye municipality stated that it had made improvements in the electrical infrastructure in Delmas, but residents are still enduring frequent power outages, he claims.
“Upgrading should mean a noticeable improvement in service, yet we haven’t witnessed any differences. What do the authorities truly mean by ‘upgrading’ when the issues continue unabated?” Sitoe asked. “It’s clear that we urgently need a more viable solution to address our electricity concerns.”
Last year, a key focus was on enhancing access to clean water and sanitation, expanding electricity availability, lowering unemployment rates, boosting skills development for young people, enhancing housing and human settlements, along with upgrading roads and infrastructure.
Mayor Thomas Ngwenya highlighted several significant initiatives, including the Western Highveld Regional Bulk Water Supply Scheme, the formalisation of informal settlements and strategic township planning in the Dr JS Moroka municipality, an enhancement of McDonald and Bookshop streets and the installation of smart electricity meters in Emakhazeni municipality.
The Loskop Regional Bulk Water Supply Scheme and the improvement of King Mabhoko and Dr Esther Mahlangu roads in Thembisile Hani municipality were also some of the earmarked developments.
The Loskop Regional Bulk Water project— organised into five phases— is currently progressing through the first phase. This project will benefit thousands of residents in areas such as Verena, Gemsbokspruit, Buhlebesizwe, Phola, Thembalethu and Denilton in the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality.
