Midvaal 2019

MIDVAAL www.midvaal.gov.za

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contents MIDVAAL LOCAL MUNICIPALITY

Publisher Elizabeth Shorten Executive Head: Special Projects Neilson Kaufman

Editor Tristan Snijders Editorial Wessel Ebersohn Head of Design Beren Bauermeister Designer Ramon Chinian Sub-Editor Morgan Carter Client Service & Production Manager Antois-Leigh Botma Distribution Manager Nomsa Masina Distribution Coordinator Asha Pursotham

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46 Milkyway Avenue, Frankenwald, 2090 PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117, South Africa t +27 (0)11 233 2600 f +27 (0)11 234 7274/75 www.3smedia.co.za

2 2 A most singular city Municipal Overview

Please Note: midvaal – Inclusively Serving the Community statistics have been taken from publicly available documents that may or may not reflect the absolute correct numbers applicable at the time of going to print.

4 Like an arrow Executive Mayor Bongani Baloyi

NOTICE OF RIGHTS This publication, its form and contents vest in 3S Media. All rights reserved. No part of this book, including cover and interior designs, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in which it is published.

7 Just make it happen Municipal Manager Albert De Klerk 10 Running a tight ship MMC: Finance Patricia Hutcheson-Pretorius 11 Collaboration’s challenges MMC: Development, Planning and Housing Mokete Motsamai

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The authors' views may not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation and compilation of this publication, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions, completeness or accuracy of its contents, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

12 We hire the right people MMC: Corporate Services Amelia Tsukudu 13 Setting high standards MMC: Engineering Services Peter Teixeira 14 Of service to the community MMC: Community Services Hennie Oosthuysen 23 Emergency Services Firefighters’ Day Rapid response 24 Sport & Recreation Lakeside soccer field Bantu Bonke sports facility

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23 Read up on the latest news from one of Midvaal’s biggest investors:

HEINEKEN SA We are HEINEKEN South Africa!

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A certified top employer

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Upskilling South Africa’s youth

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Midvaal | Overview

A most singular city Midvaal is the jewel of Gauteng.

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long the banks of Gauteng’s great river, at the point where it swells into the Vaal Dam, lies one of South Africa’s most surprising and singular cities.

In administration, security and sheer enterprise, Midvaal is foremost as a place in which to both live and conduct business.

Consistently, in surveys and studies, the town had been listed among the country’s best-run cities. According to Statistics South Africa, Midvaal offers the best provision of water and sanitation to its residents of any town in the country.

On examination, they found no backlogs whatever. In 2014, the town achieved the Department of Water and Sanitation’s coveted Blue Drop status, an award that recognises the purity of the water provided to its citizens.

In a league of its own The town’s economic standing is in a league of its own. Midvaal boasts the lowest unemployment rate in Gauteng

– an astonishing accomplishment when measured against economic giants like Johannesburg and Tshwane. When surveyed in 2011, unemployment ran at 18.8% (down from 22.8% under a previous administration). This can be compared to 24.2% in Tshwane and 25% in Johannesburg.

The standard of the city’s auditing is also without peer in the country. For four consecutive years, the Auditor General has given the city a clean audit, an achievement as yet unparalleled by any other South African town or city. In 2019, it received the South African Local Government Association Award for Good Governance. It is no wonder that it was placed first as the Top Performing Municipality in Gauteng in the 2014 Annual Municipality Financial Sustainability Index.

A seemingly endless stream of awards and honours continues to flow to the city. The most proactive mayor, the most job creation initiatives, the best social upliftment and crime-fighting efforts, as well as the municipality that is doing the most to attract investment: these are just some of Midvaal’s many awards.

Naturally gifted Nature, too, has been kind to Midvaal.

Apart from the mighty Vaal River, which flows through the southern part of the surrounding countryside, the Vaal Dam is one of South Africa’s foremost recreational areas. It forms a large part of the municipality’s south-eastern border, while the popular Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve is situated in the north-east.

The Klip River, a delightful Highveld stream, fringed by trees for much of its route, meanders through the municipality and provides an elegant setting for the charming hamlet of Henley on Klip.

The climate is rarely threatening, with fine weather being the norm. Rainfall is regular, while day and night temperatures are moderate. The area’s maximum temperature rarely rises above 30°C on sunny summer days or drops below 5°C on winter nights.

The city has been selected from among all the attractive options in the country for a number of high-prestige events and developments. The citing of the Oprah Winfrey School for gifted girls, founded by the famous American television personality, is a source of real pride. Equally so is the Eye of Africa Golf Estate, whose course was designed and much of the investment

The Midvaal Vision Midvaal will be renowned for its robust economic growth and high quality of life for all.

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Midvaal | Overview The Round the Island yacht race is the largest inland yacht race on earth

Midvaal is the jewel of Gauteng provided by Australian golfing great Greg Norman.

The Round the Island yacht race, held on the Vaal Dam, has been recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the largest inland yacht race on earth. Not as well known, but equally exceptional, is the De Deur Flea Market, which is the biggest flea market in the southern hemisphere. The result has been that the Gauteng Provincial Government ranks Midvaal top for quality of life in the province.

Commercially convenient In the commercial field, Midvaal businesses are close enough to Johannesburg to make associates in the country’s main centre easily accessible for face-to-face meetings.

Many residents who work for Johannesburg companies have chosen to avoid the pressures of the city by living in suburbs like tree-covered Walkerville and other suburbs on the Johannesburg side of town.

Global brewing powerhouse HEINEKEN has seized the opportunity to locate its African brewery in the town’s industrial area and is one of the town’s major employers.

The main employment opportunities are to be found in manufacturing (29.5%), financial and business services (18.5%), and trade (14.5%). Most of the other citizens are employed in agriculture.

A truly African city of the highest order, Midvaal has a population that consists mainly of black Africans (~59%) and whites (39%), with the remainder made up of smaller minority groups. Over 110 000 citizens live in an area of some 1 700 km2.

And as more people are attracted to this amazing town, population growth is

steadily in the region of 4%. At present, the population density is about 5.3 people per square kilometre.

It is also no surprise that Midvaal is the fastest growing municipality in both its economy and population. A total of some 60 000 people in 2001 has almost doubled at the time of writing. The population is likely to increase by a further 50 000 within a few years.

A future city The future of South African cities is unfolding on a previously unused patch of ground near Walkerville. Savanna City, a private development in conjunction with Midvaal Local Municipality, will provide more than 18 000 new dwellings. It will also have its own business centre, containing retail outlets, schools, clinics, a library and other community amenities.

Like much of Midvaal, this development holds great economic benefits, while simultaneously meeting a severe social need. In its first five years, this unique development is contributing R35 million to the city by means of an urban management grant that will be used for providing services.

Apart from basic service delivery, other initiatives are flourishing. E-learning centres are now operational in all Midvaal libraries, while a 24-hour call centre provides immediate assistance for residents.

The residents of Midvaal are uniformly proud of their town. It is both a good place to work in and a delightful situation for a family home. To those who know the town, and especially to those who live in it, it is the jewel of Gauteng.

Midvaal’s Mission We strive to sustain and enhance the quality of life in our urban and rural areas, promoting an open opportunity society for all that will result in robust economic growth.

Today, Midvaal Local Municipality is the fastest-growing and -developing municipality in the southern parts of Gauteng and strives to achieve: • sustainable delivery of quality and affordable services, including free basic services for the poor • an integrated and diverse economy that provides opportunities for all • integrated spatial planning that promotes economic and social inclusion • a well-planned and -controlled environment through a range of development policies and instruments.

The Municipality implements its mandated powers, duties and functions by way of a system of Integrated Development Planning, which is based on the following strategic focus areas: • economic growth and development • quality and sustainable urban infrastructure and affordable services • energy-efficient and environmentally conscious operations • effective, efficient and planned public transport network • integrated and sustainable human settlements • health, social and community development • safety and security for all • an efficient, effective, transparent and accountable local municipality.

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Midvaal | Executive Mayor

Like an arrow

Executive Mayor Bongani Baloyi leads by influence.

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ongani Baloyi assumed his present position five years ago, at the age of just 26. If anyone doubted his ability to shoulder the responsibility of such a senior position, those doubts are long gone. His executive committee is devoted to him and his vision is part of the municipal DNA. Increasing majorities at election time show that the public too is satisfied.

“He is like an arrow,” says Amelia Tsukudu, MMC for Corporate Services.“He is knowledgeable and very energetic. He knows where he is taking the municipality and nothing can divert him from his course of action.”

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The direction in which the Baloyi is taking Midvaal and the passion that drives him can be described by a single word: development. His love of developing Midvaal goes beyond the desire to do his job well. He believes deeply that this is what he is meant to do, for the town and suburbs in his care and the people who live and work there.

Everyone on the executive committee is kept up to speed by formal weekly meetings during which Baloyi gives direction. “He is the strategic apex,” says Tsukudu. “His determination and energy are transmitted to us in those meetings.”

“We must trust our people, their rationality, common sense and inherent goodness.”

An authentic leader Baloyi’s attitude to problems and mistakes is typical of an authentic leader and reflects his way of operating. “We’ll fix it together” is his usual reaction to a mistake made by a staff member or councillor. “I prefer a person who makes a mistake when trying to do something,” he says. “We are building a culture in which people take the initiative in a way that goes beyond their job description. We are not interested in safe, careful, inactive people. We want our

Midvaal | Executive Mayor

people to take action, even if that includes the occasional mistake.” To his executive committee, his message is: “Take ownership of your job. Show your staff and the public that this is your calling. If something won’t work, don’t tell me that. Tell me what we should do to make it work.”

At a time like this, when basic prices like fuel and electricity are rising at unprecedented rates, tempers are inclined to wear thin and the blame for the challenges facing every family are often directed at their municipal representatives. Baloyi faced just such a situation at a recent public meeting, held in a tent in Sicelo township. Families’ struggles turned to hostility at the meeting – there were a lot of shouted questions and no one wanted to listen to the mayor’s explanations.

Baloyi rose and started speaking slowly, without raising his voice. The very core of his talk was the old adage, “Come, let us reason together”. Slowly the unruliness subsided, until there was complete silence, the audience hanging on every word. At the end, they broke into prolonged applause.

More than anything else, Baloyi enjoys the challenge of new horizons. He is delighted by his team’s accomplishment of four years of clean audits. By any standards, it is a fine

achievement. Compared to the low standard of the majority of other municipalities, it is sensational. But Midvaal has done it now and the team is running a system that should allow it to continue in that vein as a matter of course.

Homing in on economic development Six months ago, Baloyi felt that he needed something new. The new challenge that seized his attention above all else is that of economic development. “We must grow our economy and see that the growth is of such a

Human rights for all A passion to protect the rights of all is one of the driving factors in Bongani Baloyi’s administration.

On 6 June 2018, the municipality and the Gauteng office of the South African Human Rights Commission entered into an MoU in which the municipality stated its commitment to be guided by the Constitution and to be aligned with international human rights principles.

The Commission recognised Midvaal “as an ideal partner… good governance is an integral part of the provision of basic services and fully encompasses respect for human rights. The memorandum also affirmed Midvaal’s commitment to a pledge made in April to improve the position of gay and lesbian people.”

nature that it is more inclusive.” The concept by which this growth is to be stimulated is a chain of Economic Development Centres planned for Midvaal’s townships. Baloyi’s aim for the centres is to build hubs of production that increase the disposable income generated by the township residents.

“The aim is to localise the value chain of Midvaal production. Many local products leave us in their raw state. We need to process, beneficiate and build our GDP. Once we have a vibrant small business and supplier sector working, the results will be felt on every level, especially in the townships. It will impact property prices and we will see

Midvaal | Executive Mayor

“I prefer a person who makes a mistake when trying to do something, above someone who is safe, careful and inactive.” gentrification, densification and higher living standards. At present, the townships are only involved in consumption – the last part of the value chain. We need to involve our communities much earlier. At present, very little township expenditure comes back to the community. To drive real growth, it must come from where it is most needed and that is the townships.”

To Baloyi, the policies of central government are often a hindrance to growth. “They talk about cutting the cake differently. With those views, they have led us into recession. The secret of success is not to cut the cake differently; the secret is to grow it.” He feels that central government is indecisive, more interested in advancing its own personal interests and aspirations than in building the nation. “While we feel strongly that they are not serving the nation well, we do collaborate with them when we feel it is in the interests of our residents.”

While great progress is being made, Baloyi has no illusions about the task that lies ahead.

“We have to get past the situation where too many people are unemployed and where those who do work spend 40% of their income on transport, just getting to work.

The result is drug use and crimes like housebreaking, robbery and hijacking. Too many homes have single parents who leave early and come home late, leaving children to fend for themselves. By increasing the disposable incomes of families, we will also help to repair struggling families. Every day, I ask myself how I can change the conditions that my mother struggled with when she was raising me.”

To give impetus to the Economic Development Centres, he and his team have held talks with local companies, including HEINEKEN, asking for their involvement. The executive team is delighted with the results.

HEINEKEN has shown a willing attitude that could result in real development. Almost 60 young people have been brought on board to learn business skills. “Tremendous progress

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can be made if you have an anchor to bring stability. This is not just about the production of beer. We are seeking synergies with companies in order to develop our people in business generally. We are also asking them to try to attract their suppliers into our industrial areas. We are willing to give them preferential rates to help the process.”

Leading the way Baloyi’s leadership style is, in his words, “influence-based and content-driven”. He achieves his goals by getting his team’s buy-in for his vision. He attributes this to his youthfulness when first coming into the job.

“I felt I was too young and inexperienced to be giving orders. I felt I had to just do my job

Recognising the general worker In May 2018, Baloyi and his MMCs launched a programme called ‘A Day in the Life of a General Worker’, in which members of the Executive Committee did the work of ordinary workers for a day.

As part of the programme, Baloyi had this to say: “The experience has been a humbling one. It has helped us to bridge the gap between our employees and ourselves. Through it, we have come to know how all functions of the municipality operate and each one’s role in ensuring success. It has given us the opportunity to know our employees better, experience their everyday working conditions and, in the process, find ways to improve those conditions and, consequently, the productivity of the municipality and the quality of services we deliver to our residents.”

well and try to influence people to do the same in their jobs.”

The early years were not without struggle.

“The worst aspect was self-doubt,” he says.

“I did not want to occupy this position for nothing. I had to have a real purpose. As time passed, experience grew and I accepted that, while we would win the main battles, we were likely to lose some along the way.”

Over his six years in office, his influence has grown immensely. Today, his municipal team operates like an extension of the man himself. Every one of the 600 permanent Midvaal employees undergoes regular performance evaluation. “We cascade our evaluations right down to junior level. Every person must fit into the task in which he or she is involved, and be honest. We look for a positive response from everyone, but it must be an institutional response, not one from the mayor.”

Baloyi takes a ruthless approach to corruption: “You cannot just dismiss the guilty party and allow them to walk away without punishment, let alone with a golden handshake. The executives of the municipality and the heads of departments must be clean and they are trained to be on their guard for corrupt practices. The head cannot be rotten and expect the rest to be clean.”

While there are many aspects to Baloyi’s approach to governance, perhaps none is more important than his view of ordinary South Africans. “We must trust our people,” he says. “We must trust in their rationality, common sense and inherent goodness. If we do, we can be successful – not only in Midvaal, but in all South Africa.”

This attitude of trust is reflected in his decision not to run for office in Midvaal again. The ship is on the right course and can be entrusted to new people. “The institution must go on after I have left. I believe another door will open for me, that my time in this position is preparing me for something else.”

M i d va a l | M u n i c i pa l M a n a g e r

Just make it happen Municipal Manager Albert De Klerk

Loyalty and pride rank high in Midvaal. The majority of the municipality’s executive team are in their second and third terms. All have bought into a culture in which qualities like honesty, integrity, transparency and trust are exercised both within the team and in dealing with the public, particularly Municipal Manager Albert De Klerk.

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mong the organisation’s long-serving executives, De Klerk has been with the municipality since 2000. He and his team are responsible for every aspect of the municipality’s service delivery. Electricity supply, water reticulation, landfill sites, the state of the streets, sanitation: all fall under the municipal manager’s portfolio.

On entering Meyerton, the municipality’s main town, visitors are immediately struck by the absence of litter. Thoroughfares, parks and especially the municipal gardens are all immaculate. “Keeping the town looking good is a question of the broken windows theory,” says De Klerk. “If one broken window is allowed to stay that way, soon there are others, and eventually a culture exists in which it is all right to have broken windows. It is essential for us to

have the cooperation of the community – something we enjoy. It helps us stay on top of things. We see ourselves as public servants; we are there to serve the residents, not to be served.”

A multifocal approach In De Klerk’s view, his position demands both a long- and short-term focus. He feels it is vital to deal with the day-to-day issues that involve the efficient running of the municipality, but at the same time he and his team have to anticipate the town’s longterm needs, which are continually growing.

In the short term, general maintenance, refuse removal and pothole repairs (which never take longer than 36 hours) are all the responsibility of De Klerk’s department.

Long-term planning has resulted in a reduction in the number of dirt roads, with the long-term goal of total eradication.

“It is our duty to bring essential services to those members of our community who need it most.”

A state-of-the-art sewerage project is close to completion. The soccer field at the Lakeside sports facility now has weatherresistant artificial grass. The municipality’s foam-based fire engine is a first in the country and operates in a quarter of the time of water-based units. The firefighters are well trained to international standards.

De Klerk works closely with the Executive Mayor who is the political head of the municipality. “The political mandate is to make the municipality prosper,” he says.

“And my mandate is to make it happen.

As a municipality, our mantra is: underpromise and over-deliver. We seek to surprise our residents by the quality of the service they receive.”

A fortunate geography While it is everywhere accepted that Midvaal is extremely well managed, the

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M i d va a l | M u n i c i pa l M a n a g e r

town’s leadership is happy to acknowledge that geography too plays a role in its success. Situated on the southern tip of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, local businesses have ready proximity to the country’s most vibrant business district.

So do those who work in the city while preferring to live in the tranquil Midvaal countryside, away from the congestion of the city.

A major advantage is that you do not have to pay for your peaceful domestic arrangements by spending hours on the road every day. Travelling time from the upmarket Eye of Africa residential and golf development to the Johannesburg city centre takes no more than half an hour.

Linkage to O.R. Tambo International Airport is by a quick run along the Eastern bypass.

The R59, which passes through the centre of Midvaal, links residents to the country’s national network of highways. Of interest to future industrialists who may seek to locate major developments in the area are the Sasol gas pipeline from Mozambique and the Rand Water pipelines and infrastructure, both of which flow through the municipality.

Midvaal is not as congested as other feeder towns around Johannesburg. The towns of Meyerton, Henley on Klip and Daleside’s location on the R59 mean that commercial and domestic traffic flows far more freely in and out

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of the area. Partly for this reason, the Klip River Business Park attracts considerable support. At the new Grace View industrial area, services have been provided and are ready for further development.

Brewing investor confidence The HEINEKEN plant, next to the Klip River Business Park, boasts the record of the African brewery that has taken the least time to be commissioned, from the start of construction until the first beer was produced. Apart from HEINEKEN, onsite production includes the Amstel and Windhoek brands.

“Fill two buckets with water and place frogs in both.

Then empty the water from one. The frogs in the bucket that still has its water will survive.

The others will die.

In Midvaal, we strive for the sake of our residents to keep all the buckets full.”

The HEINEKEN project was the first major deal brokered by De Klerk and his team, and he is very proud of the brewery and the effect it is having on the municipality and Gauteng. “To stand in the veld that was empty and see the brewery that now produces vast amounts of beer sold throughout Africa is a great thrill to me,” he says.

“The brewery represents considerable foreign direct investment.

Something that was not here at all exists now. This changes the landscape, bringing with it job opportunities, both up- and downstream business opportunities, as well as government revenues.”

Other major foreign direct investments have followed.

International manufacturers of chocolates, trailers, chemicals, dairy and other products have found this to be a good place for their African headquarters. When looking at Midvaal’s successes, and taking into account the municipality’s

M u n i c i pa l M a n a g e r

“As a municipality, our mantra is: under-promise and over-deliver.”

Population of Midvaal relatively small size, the attraction of so much foreign direct investment is remarkable. A number of notable South African companies, especially in the field of steel manufacture, have also relocated to Midvaal.

“I believe the reason for this success is manifold: the weather, our location close to the commercial centre of the country, and the rural tranquillity all play a role in economic growth. So does the reliability of our government structures,” says De Klerk.

“The council can stimulate job creation and seeks to drive economic development throughout the municipality, but it does not create jobs. The companies that invest here do.”

A culture of honesty The Midvaal culture dictates that it is essential to be honest when dealing with business people. The municipality is committed to providing world-class infrastructure for development. However, where it does not have the ability, it must be transparent and honest about what is available. The prospective investor is told.

“It is better to ensure sustainable investment than half-baked, poorly resourced developments that always go bankrupt,” says De Klerk. “We see ourselves as partners of companies that invest here and we do everything possible to support them.”

While management is of a very high order, the municipality is not an island that can function independently of the rest of the

country. Inevitably, the actions of national and provincial government impact on the municipality. External factors like the recession, hiccups in the provision of water and electricity, labour laws, or tariff hikes the investor may see as unfriendly: all of these are issues that cannot be directly addressed by any municipality.

The incidence of possible land grabs is another issue that cannot be prevented altogether. De Klerk explains that the municipality does its best to limit the opportunities for land grabs, and deals swiftly to control situations that do arise.

“First of all, it is essential that the community alert us when something is happening. If necessary, we call upon private contractors to clear illegal occupation. Any large area of unused land can be a problem, but the intensity of farming in Midvaal reduces the danger to manageable limits,” De Klerk states.

Above all, the Midvaal executive seeks to build an environment in which all can grow.

“We feel we are succeeding,” says De Klerk.

“Our municipality provides neighbourhoods that are good places in which to bring up children. My own kids have grown up here.

We have four municipal clinics and one that falls under the provincial government. In places where some township inhabitants have had to walk far for a taxi or even a bucket of water, we have managed to change that, improving the quality of life of all our citizens. We see it as our duty to bring essential services to those members of our community who need it most.”

111 600 (2011 Census) Approximately 120 000 currently

Major investors in Midvaal on the R59 corridor Ferrero Group (Italy) Paramount Trailers (Portugal) New Hope (China) HEINEKEN (Netherlands) BSI Steel (South Africa) Pro Roof (South Africa) ASSM (South Africa)

Midvaal commercial and industrial developments Klip River Business Park Grace View Industrial Area

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M i d v a a l | M M C : F INANCE

Running a tight ship Patricia HutchesonPretorius, MMC: Finance

According to MMC for Finance Patricia Hutcheson-Pretorius, achieving clean audits is not just about having a good finance office.

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ur four consecutive clean audits are the result of the efforts of the entire municipality. We could certainly not have done it without the commitment of the Executive Mayor and the Municipal Manager. None of the luxuries that other municipal leaders allow themselves are in evidence here. From top to bottom, we run a tight ship.”

While achieving the clean audit was difficult, staying there for the next three years was a more difficult task, believes HutchesonPretorius. And, Midvaal is striving for its next clean audit.

Hutcheson-Pretorius has been in the employ of the municipality since its inception as Midvaal in 2000. She grew up and has lived in the area all her life.“The friendliness of the community and the peace are qualities you don’t find in the city,” she insists.

Clean governance Part of the reason for the municipality’s clean

2017 figures Revenue Operating surplus Accumulated surplus Total assets

audits is the strictness of controls. A stern watch is kept on the possibility of corruption.“It starts with doing the fundamentals correctly,” she says.“But there are those who will always look for a way to get round the system. They tell themselves that they are smart enough to get away with it. They never are.”

Clean governance is everything in Midvaal. If Hutcheson-Pretorius or her senior staff become aware of any attempt at fraud, an investigation is immediately implemented.“There is no space for nonsense here. But there are always those who will try. All sorts of dodges are attempted. People may use a friend’s name or that of a company to try to secure a contract for themselves. But there is absolutely no way that a Midvaal municipal employee can become a supplier to the municipality. When we become aware of such activities – and we always do – we act immediately.

“I’m afraid I have had to make peace with the fact that I can’t be popular,” she says.“My job is to collect money. The faces I see are usually

R952 million R21 million R1 990 million R2 217 million

angry. No one likes parting with their hardearned cash. This year, there is going to be a new valuation role; rates will rise and some residents are bound to be unhappy.”

Challenges ahead Under the 2014 Amendment to the Local Government Property Municipal Rates Act of 2004, rates are divided into various categories. The categories in use in Midvaal are predominantly residential, business/industrial, agricultural and vacant land.

The administrative challenges that lie ahead are substantial. Apart from organic growth, by the time the Savanna City development is finished, the municipality will be serving almost double the number of people. HutchesonPretorius’s department that has a staff of 50 will have to grow substantially.“To serve Savanna City will almost take a municipality of its own,” she says.“We already have an office there, but the number of people employed will need to increase.”

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M i d v a a l | M M C : D e v e l o p m e n t, P l a n n i n g a n d H o u s i n g

Collaboration’s challenges Cllr Mokete Motsamai, MMC: Development, Planning and Housing

Like all Midvaal Members of the Mayoral Committee, Cllr Mokete Motsamai manages a demanding range of responsibilities. Of them, the most stressful part of his portfolio – which includes town planning, agriculture and local economic development – is probably housing.

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he challenges that face municipalities when working with other government bodies that may not share the same service philosophy are considerable. In the case of land and housing matters, authority resides with the provincial government. Often, the municipality finds itself acting as a gobetween and, in the process, attracts a lot of the anger from residents when promises are not kept.

A case in point was a visit to Sicelo township in October 2017 by the then Gauteng MEC for Housing. At a public meeting, demands were made for land and housing. Great promises were made but no sooner had he left, when a new MEC with a new agenda was installed.

When the new MEC visited the town, he stayed well clear of Sicelo, and Motsamai was left to face the frustration of the citizenry alone.

Committed to safe housing However, perseverance seems to be paying off. “Now I meet people daily to discuss the provision of housing,” Motsamai says.“Our engagements with the provincial department also look far more encouraging. We are examining the sort of buildings needed, the

provision of land and its location, as well as the costs involved. I am responsible for the process, but have a committed team. After a time of disappointment, we are now working well with the provincial government.”

The municipality is determined to house all its citizens properly, so illegal buildings are not tolerated. A small minority of citizens do try to build structures without council approval (a backyard shebeen or rental dwelling). Getting rid of them can be a bureaucratic nightmare.

Unlike the metros, Midvaal does not have a magistrate’s court or metro police. Everything has to be done through the High Court, making the process unduly long. At present, a complaint from 2014 is still unresolved.

“I am happy to be playing a part in uplifting our communities and, I believe, the best is yet to come!”

The Savanna City boon A bright spot in the housing landscape is Savanna City – a private initiative strongly supported by the municipality. The property covers 1 462 ha and will eventually contain over 18 000 housing units, retail outlets, schools, clinics, créches and other amenities.

The development will include three levels of housing: fully subsidised, partly subsidised, and ordinary bondholding. For a project of this size, cooperation between spheres of government is necessary. The Midvaal Local Municipality, the National Department of Human Settlements, National Treasury and Gauteng Province have all played important roles in helping developer Basil Read make the project a reality.

Assisting aspiring agriculturalists Not least of Motsamai’s responsibilities is agriculture.“We encourage our stakeholders to work with small and emerging farmers, who struggle to gain access to land or capital.” he says.“We also link them to provincial government, which has a budget for this purpose, while we don’t.”

Motsamai’s department asks emerging farmers for proposals regarding what they are planning to do.“We try to assess whether it can work and whether the applicant has the ability to achieve it.” Some successful applicants receive land at minimal rates.

Still under the age of 30, Motsamai brings youthful enthusiasm to the leadership position he occupies.“In common with the rest of the team, I am happy to be playing a part in uplifting our communities and, I believe, the best is yet to come!”

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M i d v a a l | M M C : Co r p o r a t e S e r v i c e s

Member of Mayoral Committee Amelia Tsukudu’s role is to oversee the administration of the Corporate Services Department. She is responsible for adherence to policies regarding the whole administration of the municipality.

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his portfolio includes human resources, IT, communication, legal matters, the office of the speaker, and the care of municipal buildings, so the right people need to fill the right positions.

“We proceed very carefully when hiring a new person, especially for a management position,” she says. All Members of the Mayoral Committee are on the hiring panel, with Tsukudu’s department sitting in on all meetings.

We hire the right people Before the search for the right person commences, the team looks at the needs and scope of the position and decides what qualifications are needed.“Once we have selected a person, we examine his or her qualifications and innate capabilities. We scrutinise references carefully and talk to the previous employer. In some positions, practical examinations are conducted.”

Searches begin in Midvaal and if no suitable person is found within the municipal limits, the radius is extended to neighbouring towns.

Every new employee is made to feel at home.

When the new person arrives, Tsukudu meets them and opens the lines of communication.

Taking pride without compromise

Amelia Tsukudu MMC: Corporate Services

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“We comply with government’s employment equity demands, regarding race, gender and other legal requirements,” she says.

“Transformation is important to us, but we do not compromise our standards in order to achieve it. We never place someone in a position if we doubt the person’s suitability.”

Tsukudu’s own qualification is that of a Master’s in Public Development Management, with a special certificate in local government.

She views herself and the rest of the MMCs as the custodians of the municipality’s policies and the implementing body of the country’s Constitution.“To do our jobs properly, it is fundamentally important that we understand democracy as it applies in South Africa. By economic development, we are redressing the inequities of the past. The incremental changes in the lives of township people are steadily developing them economically, socially and empowering them to take care

of the environment. We are proud of our achievements so far.”

Allowing people to be their best The result is that an atmosphere in which all people can be their best is growing in Midvaal.

“The mayor insists upon inclusive growth that applies to all. Dignified treatment for people who may have been stigmatised or ridiculed historically, like the gay and lesbian community, is of special concern.”

Tsukudu recognises that while the Midvaal team tries to help wherever it can, some grievances are outside its sphere of operations.

Important issues like housing, medical treatment and schools fall within the scope of provincial government. In these areas, all Midvaal can do is draw attention to the needs of its residents and trust that the responsible levels of government will respond.

While Midvaal is functioning well and unemployment in the municipality is low

by South African standards, the problems of adjacent municipalities often become its own. Cross-border agreements with other municipalities give them access to Midvaal’s facilities.“Our libraries are Wi-Fi hotspots; our swimming pool is sparkling clean – whereas our neighbours’ are not necessarily. It is inevitable that their residents will tap into our facilities.”

The Midvaal team is introspective. Its members do not assume that what is working today will always fit the needs of the residents.“We examine our Vision and Mission statements regularly, asking ourselves if all of this is still relevant. If not, it has to be changed.

Nothing can be allowed to stagnate. We are in a continual state of growth.”

Midvaal | MMC: Engineering Services

Setting high standards

Peter Teixeira, MMC: Engineering Services

Electricity, water, sanitation, landfills, tar roads, stormwater drains and much more: these are the responsibilities of the Midvaal Engineering Services Department. Its head, MMC Peter Teixeira, leads a team that deals with both maintenance and capital developments.

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Personally, Teixeira feels that he is a real part of Midvaal. He and his family live in Ward 4, which he describes as fairly rural. Like the whole of South Africa, the ward is truly diverse, being home to people of all racial groups. It also has nine informal settlements, more than any other ward.

Informal comfort

e have set ourselves high standards,” says Teixeira.“And, so far, I feel we have lived up to them.” In fact, potholes are filled either on the same day or the next.

Good maintenance is seen as vital, but most of the resources of Teixeira’s department are allocated to capital projects. Some 75% of its budget is spent this way, presenting residents with visible service delivery in the form of reservoirs, roads or whatever the town’s current needs are. A recent project that extended the municipality’s resources to the limit was Savanna City. The development spills over into two other municipalities, but the province paid a real compliment to the efficiency of the team when it decided to locate the site in Midvaal.

Brand-new infrastructure was needed and

Teixeira’s staff had to be increased. At the time of writing, the Human Resources Department was in the process of recruiting plumbers to complete the construction of Savanna City.

Keeping Risiville’s lights on Midvaal has found it necessary to be independent of its neighbours in some ways and felt compelled to build its own substation to serve its Risiville area, when drawing power from an adjoining municipality caused power interruptions.

Risiville originally took its power from Three Rivers, in a neighbouring municipality. When the Three Rivers account saw slow revenue collections, Risiville sometimes lost power. Since the new substation has been built, that is no longer the case.

The municipality as a whole has 48 informal settlements.“Some of these are very small, numbering perhaps 10 dwellings, while others have as many as 500.”

Midvaal does everything possible to make the people who live in informal dwellings comfortable.“Under the law, they must be given water and sanitation,” says Teixeira.“We agree fully with that. As the municipality, we consult the owner before we start. The people who live in informal settlements are part of our community and we treat them accordingly.”

While Teixeira has occupied his present position for the last two and a half years, he has lived in the Midvaal area his entire life.“I love the place and its people,” he says. That is not surprising. He is exceptionally well suited to catering for their needs.

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M i d v a a l | M M C : Comm u n i t y S e r v i c e s

The area served by Midvaal Local Municipality measures 1 722 km2, with a population that only just exceeds 110 000 people. A large part of the responsibility for this mammoth task rests with Hennie Oosthuysen, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Services.

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rom the border of Alberton in the north to the Vaal Dam in the south, Lesedi in the east and the outlying suburbs of Vereeniging in the west, Midvaal’s very large surface area is served by a relatively small team.

The Community Services portfolio covers an astonishingly wide range, from clinics, overseeing pre-school activities and refuse removal to traffic supervision, the fire department, parks, libraries, the environment and health.

Cllr Oosthuysen is an architect by profession and has lived in Midvaal since 2003. In 2016, he was elected councillor for Ward Nine and invited to join the Mayoral Committee the next year. His pride in the work of the municipality is tangible.“We act as the custodians of services that support and strengthen community life in Midvaal,” he says.

Not least of these services is caring for those in the community with drug abuse problems. “We keep a record of who they are and ensure that the provincial Department of Social Development stays informed so that the sufferers can be supported with a view to rehabilitation.”

Of service to the community

Aluminium cans, plastic cold drink bottles, glass bottles, compost materials, wood: all these have to be approached differently and despatched to different users. But progress has been made.

A wood chipper reduces wooden objects to a state that fits the needs of the manufacturers of boards and other users. Cans are easily recycled, as is some glass and plastics. Options for other materials are being sought.

The original fire station in Meyerton has been playing its role in the municipality for many years. But because of the large surface area of the municipality and the travelling time to reach its more remote corners, a second fire station has been established at Vaal Marina. The reduced travelling time should greatly decrease fire danger in the area.

Getting hands dirty A completely different responsibility and one that interests him equally is the challenge of recycling the municipality’s refuse.“Landfills are not the best solution. We have compactors that we use for refuse removal but, even so, a great deal of fuel is burnt just getting the refuse to the dumping sites. The more we recycle, the less there will be to dump.”

The diversity of Oosthuysen’s portfolio means that the challenges are equally diverse.

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Hennie Oosthuysen MMC: Community Services

Midvaal requires that its citizens be involved. Together is better than alone

The traffic department too faces the challenge of the distances that have to be travelled, but its members are assisted by the essentially law-abiding nature of the community.

Among Midvaal’s many distinctions is the advancement of Officer Anne Mpai to the presidency of the Institute of the Traffic Officers of South Africa.

Working together Parks, cemeteries and road verges all fall under Oosthuysen’s control. His team is well equipped, with ride-on mowers and other implements. For the roads in outlying areas, unnecessary travel is avoided and business is stimulated by using small subcontractors.

In what is really a small town, finances are not endless and challenges must be met by the inventive use of what is available. Preschool facilities cannot be provided at this stage, so Oosthuysen’s department plays an oversight role, seeing that day-mothers are properly trained and registered.

“Because of the municipality’s size, we cannot have specialist MMCs for every community service we provide,” says Oosthusen.“But our work in the community is itself stimulating and our teams are all committed to providing the best possible support to our residents.”

SAME GREAT TASTE IN 192 COUNTRIES Not for Persons Under the Age of 18.

Enjoy Responsibly.

We are South Africa!

From brewing team leaders to training professionals, the team shares their career journeys.

Lizzy Matsaung Q: What is your role at HEINEKEN SA? A: Brewing team leader.

Q: What are your main responsibilities?

A: I run a shift and lead a team of seven people. We ensure that we are producing and sorting beer for packaging. To help facilitate this, I manage shift performance and optimise production performance as well as associated processes. As the team leader, I must also facilitate team problem-solving and decision-making.

Q: How long have you worked at HEINEKEN SA? A: I joined HEINEKEN South Africa in 2009 – this is my ninth year in the business.

Q: What is the most challenging part of your job?

A: Dealing with process issues and challenges, which requires a lot of creativity and can result in a stressful environment sometimes.

Q: What’s most rewarding about your job?

A: Addressing process issues can be exciting and highly rewarding. However, the most rewarding part of my job has to be seeing new product going through the line through to packaging and ultimately into the hands of customers.

DID YOU KNOW? Although our brands have long been present in South Africa, 2016 was our first official year as an independent entity: HEINEKEN South Africa.

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Q: What are some of your most memorable moments at HEINEKEN? A: I was part of the original team that set up the Sedibeng brewery back in 2009. Also, my work has afforded me the opportunity to travel through Africa and visit breweries in other countries.

Q: How has HEINEKEN empowered you and helped you grow in your career?

A: I joined the company as an operator; through hard work, I got the opportunity to work my way up through the ranks to ultimately become a brewing team leader.

H EINE K EN

Marcus Maropane

Khanyisa Mpambani

Jack Mafifi

Q: What is your role at HEINEKEN SA? A: I am a driver for the business.

Q: What is your role at HEINEKEN SA? A: I am a capability trainer at the Supply Chain Academy.

Q: What is your role at HEINEKEN SA? A: I am the trainee packaging shift manager.

Q: What are your main responsibilities?

A: My main responsibilities include driving the director to and from his meetings. In addition, I have to do deliveries for the business and must also transport visitors to Sedibeng on tours. As I am responsible for our pool of company cars – I need to make sure that these vehicles are roadworthy and undergo their services at the required intervals.

Q: What are some of your main responsibilities?

A: Among other responsibilities, I facilitate and coordinate training at the academy, and then go on to measure as well as evaluate the results thereof. In addition, I also develop an annual training plan and conduct functional competency assessments.

Q: How long have you worked at HEINEKEN SA? A: I have been working for the company since January 2012.

Q: How long have you worked at HEINEKEN SA? A: On 1 December 2018, I will have worked for the company for four years.

Q: What is the most challenging part of your job?

A: If a delivery has not been planned or scheduled correctly, it can make my job a lot more challenging.

Q: What’s most challenging about your job?

A: Motivating staff to attend training.

Q: What is the most challenging part of your job?

A: The most challenging part of my job is managing such as diverse group of talented people.

Q: What’s most rewarding about your job?

A: Following the training, I get to see the impact that it has on the shop floor. This is evident either through performance gains, or by noticing improvements in how employees execute their duties. I am very passionate about developing people and helping them grow in their careers.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A: Getting to see my team members grow and develop in their careers. I get to see them move up in the ranks of the business, to the point where they take up new roles that they only aspired to when they first joined the company.

Q: What are some of your most memorable moments at HEINEKEN? A: I spent six months in Ethiopia, where I was exposed to a different corporate culture. It was my first time visiting East Africa. Other highlights include receiving an award for my vent tube management project and moving over to the Supply Chain Academy.

Q: What are some of your most memorable moments at HEINEKEN? A: The most memorable moment definitely was when I signed my first contract as a manager.

It really was the greatest day of my life and incredibly fulfilling – the culmination of a long journey at the company.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A: Getting to develop my communication skills to the point where I am confident to engage with all the different stakeholders and service providers of the business.

Q: What are some of your most memorable moments during your time at HEINEKEN? A: Family days that are organised by the business are always first-rate experiences that are very memorable. Another highlight is getting to meet and work with my new director, because he is mentoring me and I have learned a great deal from him.

Q: How has HEINEKEN empowered you and helped you grow in your career?

A: HEINEKEN has allowed me to do a lot of training that has enabled me to develop myself and my skill set.

Q: How has HEINEKEN empowered you and helped you grow in your career?

A: Within the business, anything is possible in terms of your career growth, as long as you put in the time, dedication and hard work.

That makes it really rewarding to work for HEINEKEN South Africa.

Q: What are some of your main responsibilities?

A: Among other responsibilities, I facilitate the training of the production staff, and must ensure the safety of staff on the packing line. In addition, I am responsible for leading the packaging team.

Q: How long have you worked at HEINEKEN SA? A: I have been with the company for eight years and five months.

Q: How has HEINEKEN empowered you and helped you grow in your career?

A: This goes not just for me, but for every employee at the company; HEINEKEN recognises hard work and dedication, regardless of your academic background. The business will provide you with the opportunity to prove yourself and reward those who excel at doing so.

H EINE K EN

GLOBAL BRAND – LOCAL IMPACT A leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands, HEINEKEN is the world’s most international brewer.

Led by the HEINEKEN® brand, the group has a powerful portfolio of more than 250 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders, and is committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution, and focused cost management.

Boasting a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets, HEINEKEN employs approximately 73 000 people and operates 167 breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. “HEINEKEN has been a family company for nearly 150 years. Our goal for HEINEKEN SA is to create an atmosphere where everyone has a feeling of belonging and can develop themselves, and grow and excel,” said Gerrit van Loo, MD of HEINEKEN SA.

OUR BRAND PORTFOLIO:

WINNING WITH SOUTH AFRICA

Mandisi Feni, HR Director, HEINEKEN South Africa, receiving the Top Employer award on behalf of the company

Locally, the company employs more than 900 staff and approximately 600 external sales people. Mandisi Feni shares why HEINEKEN is a great place at which to work.

Q: What makes HEINEKEN a great organisation to work for?

A: People are at the heart of our company and we stand by our values: passion for quality, enjoyment of life, respect for people and for the planet. We have the most amazing brands and that in itself makes this an awesome organisation to work for.

We also attract, develop and retain talents, and support our staff in realising exciting career opportunities. Our leaders know how to inspire and engage people, through living the HEINEKEN leadership expectations. Being certified as the Top Employer 2019 helps to demonstrate our status as an employer of choice, while helping to gain new insights to continuously develop our HR environment, and reinforce our employer brand.

HEINEKEN SA is a certified top employer and here’s why HEINEKEN South Africa was recently awarded the exclusive Top Employer South Africa 2019 certification for the fifth time by the Top Employers Institute for its exceptional employee offerings.

The Top Employers Institute is an independent organisation that researches employee offerings of significant employers, measuring them against the international standards.

Therefore, only the world’s leading employers become certified as Top Employers.

Q: How do you attract and retain top talent?

A: We have defined talent acquisition strategies targeting specific skills. Our talent acquisition strategies are premised on using different channels, thereby ensuring we attract the best talent from across industries. We implement comprehensive recruitment tools to assess and select fit-for-purpose talent.

Within the HEINEKEN Africa region, we want to position ourselves as a talent hub. We are proud that we have already had a handful of local staff handpicked for international assignments within the global HEINEKEN family.

Q: How do you develop talent within the business?

A: Our approach to this imperative is equally strategic. We believe in the blended learning approach when developing staff. That means 70% learning on the job, 20% through coaching or mentoring, and only 10% through formal training. That’s quite a big mindset shift for many people. Some still think of training or development as a shopping list of courses, but every day is a learning opportunity. And that’s especially true when you are introduced to a new organisation.

HEINEKEN HR supports on-the-job learning through a programme of documenting learnings, development plans, and building the capabilities of line managers to better support their ‘reports’. We also translate this into the ‘how’ element of assessments. Most people focus on the ‘what’ of KPIs, but we use the development plans to moderate scores, and create a discussion about how a person executes what they have to do.

HEINEKEN SA team members celebrating the company’s Top Employer certification

www.heinekensouthafrica.co.za

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H EINE K EN

Upskilling South Africa’s youth HEINEKEN South Africa is training 28 learners enrolled in its Packaging Learnership Programme. Through this SETA-accredited learnership, the students will attain an NQF Level 3 packaging qualification upon graduation from the year-long programme.

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he learnership was launched in April 2018, with the aim of strengthening the skill set of the company’s talent. Objectives of the programme include fortifying the brewing giant’s future talent pool and recruiting talent from the local university.

Packaging is done at HEINEKEN’s state-of-theart brewery in Sedibeng, Midvaal, where the company brews a large portfolio of premium and mainstream brands, including Heineken®, Windhoek, Miller Genuine Draft, Sol, Amstel and Strongbow cider. The facility recently reached an output capacity milestone of four million hectolitres. Eight existing HEINEKEN employees were selected for the programme, along with

learners enrolled at the Vaal University of Technology, which is in close proximity to the brewery. As part of ensuring transformation in what is understood to be a male-dominated industry, 15 women were selected for the learnership.

“It important that the programme reflect women’s potential capabilities and contribution in the industry,” says Thandie Letshabo, manager: Supply Chain Academy, HEINEKEN South Africa.

The learners underwent a series of assessments to gauge their capabilities and technical aptitude, before the final selection was made.

“Through the Packaging Learnership, these learners will obtain the skills and attributes that will make them employable in other brewery roles that may become vacant after their successful completion of the training,” says Letshabo.

She adds that one of the key benefits of an internal learnership programme is that – from the outset – the learners get acquainted with our internal systems and processes – essentially learning and living “the HEINEKEN way of doing things”.

Letshabo concludes,“Exposing the learners to both theoretical and practical on-thejob training early on translates to agile future employees who are skilled, and prepared for most challenges in their chosen career paths.”

Creating capable employees HEINEKEN South Africa’s Supply Chain Academy is fully accredited with FoodBev SETA as a training and assessment provider. The main aim of the academy is to build an organisation with fully capable employees to perform their current jobs and empower them with future skills that can allow them to grow in the business. We aim to develop staff whose skills are relevant to the South African working environment.

In addition to the packaging learnership, the academy also runs the following programmes: • Millwright Apprenticeship (Technical Operator Programme) NQF 4 • Business Administration NQF 3 • Generic Management NQF 4 • Competency-based training focused on upskilling everyone with specific skills, knowledge and behaviours that are critical for them to perform their work duties.

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Midvaal Local Municipality says: “HEINEKEN’s Sedibeng brewery represents considerable foreign direct investment. Something that was not here at all exists now. This changes the landscape, bringing with it job opportunities, both up- and downstream business opportunities, as well as government revenues.”

– Municipal Manager Albert De Klerk

NEW PACKAGING LINE HEINEKEN South Africa’s Sedibeng Brewery is a state-of-the-art facility, providing employment opportunities in and around the Midvaal community.

The new packaging line was commissioned to support the fast-paced beer volume growth. The packaging line produces beverages in 66cl and 75cl bottles packed in crates. The significant capital investment is expected to provide more opportunities, to grow production and help grow the local economy.

15 000

BOTTLES PER HOUR

for 660ml and 750ml

Technical Capacity

950

THOUSAND HL

PROVIDING PACKAGING FOR REPORTING SYSTEM

with camera-assisted problem solving

Investment estimated at

R 200 MILLION

THE GENESIS In 1873, Gerard Heineken, a young entrepreneur, discovered a passion for brewing. He purchased land in what is now the centre of Amsterdam, built a brewery and set about perfecting the recipe that would soon become Holland’s first premium lager beer. Word quickly spread and the name HEINEKENŽ, stamped onto every single bottle, became a national symbol of quality.

M i d v a a l | Em e r g e n c y S e r v i c e s

Honouring our

firefighters

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idvaal fire department joined thousands of others across the world on 4 May 2018 to celebrate International Firefighters’ Day. The day serves as a tribute to the firefighters who serve their communities selflessly and in spite of the dangers they face. A prayer was offered by the chaplain, followed by a moment of silence in honour of the heroes who have given their lives to save others.

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Rapid response

he tornado that struck the Vaal Marina and Mamello township on 3 December 2017, 55 km from Midvaal’s head office in Meyerton, damaged 550 structures and displaced 1 100 people. The municipality’s reaction was immediate. By the evening of the first day, 14 ambulances had been dispatched to the area to care for the injured.

While there were many injuries, not a single death was recorded.

For those who believe in a greater power governing our lives, an incident that went beyond coincidence played a role in dealing with the disaster. Two weeks before the tornado struck, the fire chief went on a course on disaster management.

For two weeks, 24 hours a day, Municipal Manager Albert De Klerk worked from the disaster site to help clear the damage.

By Christmas Day, all dwellings had been restored.

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Midvaal | Sport & Recreation

Bantu Bonke sports facility

Hardwearing soccer field for Lakeside

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he new sports facility in Bantu Bonke consists of a court that can be used for netball, ring ball, mini soccer, volleyball and basketball. Provided by the Gauteng Provincial Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, the court is finished with a blue rubber surface.

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he new Lakeside soccer field has a long-life surface that requires no cutting or repainting of the markings.

It consists of synthetic grass carpets constructed of rubber and plastic filled in with recycled tyre rubber that simulates a soft grass surface.

The lines are permanently blended into the fabric and cannot be removed. The field covers the standard FIFA measurements for a soccer field, at 100 m to 110 m in length and 64 m to 73 m in width. The field is FIFA approved and certificated.

The surface has a guaranteed lifespan of 15 to 20 years under normal use. Should a part of the field be damaged, it can be removed and a new section inserted. The surface is maintained by sweeping with mechanical brushes towed behind a John Deer ride-on lawnmower, without blades.

The field benefits the Lakeside community directly, but the entire Midvaal sporting community will be able to make use of it.

CONTACT US: Midvaal Local Municipality

Call Centre

Main Building

25 Mitchell Street Meyerton, 1961

Phone: 0861 643 8225 WhatsApp: 064 582 6466 Email: complaints@midvaal.gov.za 24-hour Emergencies: 016 360 7500

Corporate Cluster: 016 360 7407 Development and Planning: 016 360 7571 Finance: 016 360 7405 Municipal Manager: 016 360 7411

Fraud Reporting Line: 0860 268 624

www.midvaal.gov.za

PO Box 9 Meyerton 1960

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