COVID-19 RESPONSE PLANS AND PETITIONS - 03 June 2020 - Parliamentary ...

COVID-19 RESPONSE
PLANS AND
PETITIONS
03 June 2020

PURPOSE

To provide a report on COVID-19 response plans.

To provide progress on various petitions from residents of
 Ekurhuleni.

 2

INTRODUCTION

 The interventions on Covid-19 a clear directive given by President
  Ramaphosa for declaring the National State of Disaster.
 A clear demonstration that we are a City that is compassionate and
  prioritizes the lives of the people.
 The City has announced and employed further extraordinary measures in
  trying to deal with this pandemic.
 Re-iterated our call for people not to panic and follow the guidelines issued
  by the government with regard to the high standards of hygiene.
 Joint Operation Centre set-up to monitor the situation and give
  administration a blow-by-blow of the situation.

 3

INTRODUCTION / …
Covid-19 statistics:

The total number of confirmed cases stands at 666, with 495
recoveries and 171 active cases. At least 10 deaths have been
reported.

To date, a total of 1 321 097 screenings have been conducted with
16 877 tests done.

 4

HIGH LEVEL INDICATION OF FUNCTIONALITY
OF STRUCTURES LEVEL INDICATION OF
FUNCTIONALITY OF STRUCTURES
CoE Command Council.      Political structure chaired by the
                            Executive Mayor - Mondays and
                            Fridays.
                           Administrative structure chaired by
CoE Command Centre.        the City Manager - Mondays,
                            Wednesdays and Fridays.
Operational Joint         Chaired by HOD: DEMS - Tuesdays
 Operation Centre (JOC).    and Thursdays.
Disaster Operations       Held daily and ensures Business
 Centre support JOC.        Continuity of operations.

PILLAR 1: COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH
RESPONSE

All 93 CoE clinics operational.
Two Quarantine sites have been established at Transnet School of Excellence in
Esselen Park with 400 beds and Telkom Training Academy with 91 beds. (Total beds
= 491)
Additional 300 Beds - Bertha Gxowa has been earmarked by Province for
additional beds for hospitalization.
8 Cuban doctors deployed to COE – 28 May 2020
A total of Four (4) Homeless Shelters/Centres established i.e.
   Coen Scholtz - 124 capacity;
   Olifantsfontein – 140 capacity; and
   Benoni Town Hall – 120 capacity.
As of 11 May 2020 Bakerton shelter was closed and occupants were moved to
Olifantsfontein. (All remaining 3 shelters out of 4 are up and running.

PILLAR 1: COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH
RESPONSE /…
Provision of water and sanitation service:

All 119 informal settlements had 1 511 stand pipes before COVID-19.
Additional 187 water tanks and 37 extra stand pipes installed and functional during COVID-19.
Chemical toilets are serviced twice a week.

Precautionary measures to mitigate employee health and safety risks:

All working employees (where necessary) are provided with PPE’s –
  •   masks and gloves;
  •   mounted and hand sanitizers;
  •   more hand soap in toilets and toilet papers as well as increased cleaning frequency of work areas; and
  •   Buildings are regularly disinfected.
The City has procured more than 1 000 Infra-red Digital Thermometer for all 683 municipal buildings,
Cloth Masks for all employees and Hand Sanitizers for cashiers & field workers.
Work-from-home intervention method implemented for non-essential services.

PILLAR 2: FOOD SECURITY RESPONSE

The Food Bank was successfully launched on the 14th April 2020 at the
Ekurhuleni Fresh Produce Market in Springs.
It should be noted that this is over and above the Food Relief Distribution
Programme driven by the Provincial Department of Social Development. NO
MUNICIPAL FUNDS ARE USED IN THIS PROCESS.
A total of 118 Organisations/Donors have made donations of goods
(consumables and non consumables) to an estimated value of R8 200 000.
Thus far a total number of 25 680 food parcels have been distributed to
distressed households and 128 400 residents were reached.
The Executive Mayor and Members of the Mayoral Committee have
donated goods to 16 Old Age Homes to the value of R300 000.

PILLAR 2: FOOD SECURITY RESPONSE / …

The CoE Food Bank Application and Distribution Process.
1)The application process to receive a food parcel is done through the call centre or on email.
2)Ward based distribution system coordinated by Social Development field workers in consultation with the
Councillors and Ward Committees of the area.
3)Food parcels are collected from the Food Bank and distributed to individual households directly with the
assistance of EMPD personnel.
4)Officials collecting food parcels are expected to complete a collection register from the Food Bank.
5)Beneficiaries whom have received their food parcels are expected to complete the beneficiary
acknowledgment registry to be returned to the Food Bank.
6)Beneficiaries are captured in a database to maintain a record of previous donations and to ensure that
there are no duplications thereof.
7)Field workers are required to conduct a household verification of applicants and beneficiaries thereof.
8)The target is to distribute 1 000 food parcels daily. A further targeted distribution of 5 000 on Fridays
(Siyaqhuba Fridays – initiated on 22nd May 2020).

PILLAR 3: ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE
MEASURES
Law enforcement services are fully operational for crime prevention, accident
management, by-law and COVID-19 Regulations enforcement.
Focus on social distancing in High Risk areas such as shopping centres, informal
settlements, hostels, townships, taxi ranks etc.
Daily operations conducted in collaboration with SAPS, SANDF and Provincial
Community Safety Department on cross-provincial roads i.e. N12 East & N17 East
towards Mpumalanga are taking place.
Cemeteries and Burials are managed daily and Regulations enforced by Metro
Police (50 people per burial at 30 minutes intervals).
1 595 Arrested for Contravention of Disaster Management Regulations (Lockdown)
as of 31st May 2020.
2 290 Fines Issued for COVID-19 as of 31st May 2020.

PILLAR 4: ECONOMIC RESPONSE PLAN
Issuing of temporary traders’ permits has been suspended as at 14 April 2020.
    A total of 6 287 applications received;
   3 885 applications approved; and
   2 402 applications were rejected e.g. non-compliant with immigration act and
    regulations, insufficient documentation, cross city/border applications etc.
Formal essential services traders are operational e.g. Pharmacies and Food retail
stores.
Public Transport is functional to ferry commuters to shopping centres and areas of
work. Adherence to Regulations is upheld.
CoE (Politicians and Senior Management ) contributed to Solidarity Charity Fund.

PILLAR 4: ECONOMIC RESPONSE PLAN /
…
As from 30 March - 24 May 2020 the taxi industry program has done the
following:
Disinfected taxis = 49 361
Disinfected Buses = 219 (i.e. Ekurhuleni Bus Services, BRT buses and BBC).
Disinfected Taxi Ranks = 50
Gauteng Department of Roads & Transport, Gauteng Department of Health.
      CoE Transport Department with Health Department on the 21 May 2020 launched the
       Screening and Testing of taxis drivers at Esangweni (Thembisa) and Kempton Park Taxi
       Ranks.
Preparation is underway for scholar transports for the 1st of June 2020 schools
opening.
Transport Department is engaging PRASA regarding the state of readiness - no
plans for the City of Ekurhuleni yet.

PILLAR 5: SOCIAL MOBILIZATION AND
SOCIAL SOLIDARITY
All Religious Groups, NGO’s/NPO’s are supportive and to date, no incident were
reported that these organizations have breached any Regulations passed on COVID-
19 Pandemic.
Local Businesses are heeding the call made by the Executive Mayor to make
donations, in consumables and non consumable items, to the City of Ekurhuleni
Food Bank.
The Executive Mayor has recently met different stakeholders including religious
fraternity.
All Political Parties are supporting the initiatives embarked upon by the City of
Ekurhuleni and are continuously briefed by the Executive Mayor.
The City of Ekurhuleni has put in place communication mechanisms to reach all
CoE communities on all COVID-19 related matters e.g. Community radio stations.
Social Media and a 24 hour Call Centre.

PILLAR 5: SOCIAL MOBILIZATION AND
SOCIAL SOLIDARITY / …

   Private Cemeteries: Nokuthula Memorial Park = 11 000 burial capacity
   Crematoria – Two (2)
   There are 5 574 units to store ashes after cremation throughout COE
   Considering Second and Third internment, COE can bury up to 81 000 bodies
   One Cemetery per Region (3x Regions) is available for COVID 19 Burials

PILLAR 5: SOCIAL MOBILIZATION AND
SOCIAL SOLIDARITY / …

 Land for mass burials.
  Preparations are underway with Real Estate Department to source more land;
  Land identified for future use (cemeteries ); and
  Planning is underway for future developments.
Private Sector Capacity Crematoriums.
  Currently no operating crematorium;
  Currently improving the existing cremators’ model; and
  A consultant busy with the scope of work before advertisement for the tender in the new financial
   year.
Capacity for Undertakers.
  Total number of 2 096 in COE.

DECONGESTION OF INFORMAL SETTLEMENT
AND HOSTELS
CoE will no longer focus the program on 5 previously identified Informal
settlements.
Now two (2) informal settlements will be decongested i.e. Madelakufa 1&2
(Thembisa) and Ergo / Mkanchwa (Brakpan).
CoE has a re-blocking program which also serves to decongest informal
settlement which will focus on Ramaphosa (Boksburg), Vusumuzi (Thembisa) and
Zamani (Duduza).
The procurement of temporary residential units (TRUs) is still in progress and is
expected to be concluded this week.
The procurement process for hostels on TRU is on-going proposals have been
requested and closed on Thursday 21 May 2020.
Bid Specification Committee considered the Human Settlement Item for
decongestion on 26 May 2020.

IMPACT ON REVENUE COLLECTION

                                                 COLLECTION TARGET

PROJECTION FOR 2020/21 FY          Period 19/20 FY   Actual %          Target %

                                        March             86.9
Collection Target = 94.0%
                                        April             67.2
Projected Collections = 90%                                                  94
                                         May          65 (Projected)
Annual Shortfall = R 1,2 Billion
                                        June           70 – Level 3

COLLECTIONS: MARCH – APRIL 2020
                                                                Apr-20                                                               Mar-20
                                                                                      Under-                                                               Under-
                                                                                     collection                                                           collection
       Area      SERVICE GROUP     Billed           Receipts             %                          Billed           Receipts            %            
Main          Electricity         947 573 874.27     636 769 643.51          67.2%      -253 949 798   1 109 054 820.46    964 101 355.43         86.9%       -78 410 176
Main          Water               450 832 193.03     302 959 233.72          67.2%      -120 823 028    487 960 575.45     424 184 128.24         86.9%       -34 498 813
Main          Assessment rates    448 010 543.00     301 063 084.90          67.2%      -120 066 826    486 115 292.88     422 580 024.10         86.9%       -34 368 351
Main          Sewer               138 771 225.65      93 254 263.64          67.2%       -37 190 688    152 088 243.50     132 210 310.07         86.9%       -10 752 639
Main          Refuse              120 826 199.32      81 195 205.94          67.2%       -32 381 421    132 233 088.14     114 950 223.52         86.9%        -9 348 879
Main          Other Services      115 683 479.45      77 811 822.91          67.3%       -30 930 648      5 382 803.00       4 605 471.85         85.6%         -454 363
                                 2 221 697 514.73   1 493 053 254.62         67.2%   -595 342 409.23   2 372 834 823.43   2 062 631 513.21        86.9%   -167 833 220.82

COLLECTIONS: MAY – JUNE 2020
                                                                 Jun-20                                                               May-20
                                                                                       Under-                                                               Under-
                                                                                      collection                                                           collection
        Area      SERVICE GROUP     Billed           Receipts             %                          Billed           Receipts            %            
 Main          Electricity         817 742 106.04     572 419 474.23          70.0%      -196 258 105   1 028 539 603.80    668 550 742.47         65.0%      -298 276 485
 Main          Water               377 439 314.62     264 207 520.23          70.0%       -90 585 436    471 799 143.27     306 669 443.12         65.0%      -136 821 752
 Main          Assessment rates    480 914 831.09     336 640 381.76          70.0%      -115 419 559    480 914 831.09     312 594 640.21         65.0%      -139 465 301
 Main          Sewer               115 823 918.84      81 076 743.19          70.0%       -27 797 741    144 779 898.54      94 106 934.05         65.0%       -41 986 171
 Main          Refuse              114 205 102.73      79 943 571.91          70.0%       -27 409 225    114 205 102.73      74 233 316.78         65.0%       -33 119 480
 Main          Other Services       30 759 678.45      21 531 774.91          70.0%        -7 382 323     38 449 598.06      24 992 238.74         65.0%       -11 150 383
                                  1 936 884 951.76   1 355 819 466.23         70.0%   -464 852 388.42   2 278 688 177.49   1 481 147 315.37        65.0%   -660 819 571.47

COLLECTIONS: 2020-21 FY
                                                                  2020-21
                                                                                         Under-
                                                                                        collection
        Area      SERVICE GROUP      Billed             Receipts            %            
 Main          Electricity        14 816 996 995.00   13 335 297 295.50         90.0%       -592 679 880
 Main          Water               6 203 589 533.25    5 583 230 579.93         90.0%       -248 143 581
 Main          Assessment rates    6 377 188 760.00    5 739 469 884.00         90.0%       -255 087 550
 Main          Sewer               2 067 863 177.75    1 861 076 859.98         90.0%        -82 714 527
 Main          Refuse              1 661 249 546.00    1 495 124 591.40         90.0%        -66 449 982
 Main          Other Services                                                                          0
                                  31 126 888 012.00   28 014 199 210.80         90.0%   -1 245 075 520.48

CUSTOMER RELIEF PROPOSALS
In order to address the immediate needs and challenges from customers, the following
relief proposals submitted –

 6 months Suspension of Interest on current arrear debt accumulated from 1 April 2020
    (During lockdown).
   Payment extensions considerations with month to month extensions beyond normal
    approved 90 days.
   Debt repayment arrangements with additional 5th option (Further opportunity to enter into
    arrangement).
   Pre-termination and Final Notice Fees Suspension for 6 months.
   Assessment Rates Tariffs – Consideration of No Increase for 2020/21.
   Incentive of 5% discount on current bill on settlement of arrears and maintenance of
    account up to date for 12 months period.
   Extension of indigent support for beneficiaries expired a month prior and during lockdown.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
 Financial:
      Increase in indigent support budget
      Increase in doubtful (bad) debt provisions
      Reduction on budget revenue – Final Notice fees and interest
      Increase on property rates revenue foregone
      Low revenue collections
 Targeted 94% collection rate will not be achieved:
      YTD rate as at end of Q3 March 88.23%
      Current YTD rate end April 2020 = 77.7%
 Projections of Cost for proposed incentives (Losses to be incurred):
      Interest suspension                   R 94,5 million (Over 6 month period)
      Final Notice Fees                     R 13,5 million per month
      Assessment rates tariff increase      R 444,9 million

KEY INTERVENTIONS MADE BY THE
MUNICIPALITY - SUMMARY

Establishment of Food Bank.
Shelters available for homeless people.
Relaxation of USDG has been granted by National Treasury for 6 projects:
    Waste Collection;
    Cleaning of Public Facilities;
    Water and Sanitation;
    Real Estate Sanitization;
    Human Resources and; and
    Health Services.
Executive Mayor and MMCs donated to 16 Old Age Homes to the value of R300 000.
CoE (Politicians and Senior Management ) made a voluntary donations to Solidarity Charity Fund
The Church of Scientology is assisting in disinfection and sanitization of Council facilities and hostels in
the CoE.

OVERALL CHALLENGES

City of Ekurhuleni identified as a Covid-19 hotspot
Non-adherence to social distancing guidelines.
Increased attempts at land invasion e.g. Palm Ridge
Responsibility towards the homeless post Covid-19 must be clarified.
Sudden migration towards online methods of public participation
excluding significant number of residents due to data and
infrastructural gap
Inadequate screening

ASSISTANCE REQUIRED
 Increase screening and testing efforts.
 Increase the visibility of law enforcement and tighten security control measures.
 Ensure regulation compliance in public and work spaces in partnership with
  relevant stakeholders.
 Intensify measures of public education and awareness using various platforms.
 Define the criteria of allocation and accessibility of R20 bill municipal COVID-19
  relief fund.
 The City applied for Disaster Relief Grant on the 04 April 2020 for the amount of
  R32 731 751 – awaiting outcome.

PETITION BY THE RESIDENTS OF
GERMISTON AND BOKSBURG,
EKURHULENI METROPOLITAN
MUNICIPALITY, CALLING ON
THE ASSEMBLY TO INVESTIGATE
THE NUMEROUS POWER
OUTAGES (MR M WATERS (DA)

                               2
                               6

RESPONSE TO THE PETITION – ENERGY
            DEPARTMENT
 The City is aware of a number of petitions in the areas of Germiston and Boksburg
 The City is dealing with all the petitions as received from the residents.
 The two major contributions of power problems in the two areas is illegal connections and electric meter
  tempering.
The measures introduced to curb the number of power outages are as follows:
 Three security service providers were appointed for Ekurhuleni in order to assist, inter alia, with the
  following:
 Patrolling of cable – and overhead line routes, monitoring and controlling of preventative / early
  warning / early detection equipment, Forensic audit, evaluation and assessment of progress made.
           Investigate and research criminal or untoward activities.

           Deploy mobile task teams and Network with the EMPD, SAPS, CPF, National Prosecuting Authority,
            Directorate of Special Operations, Department of Trade and Industry, Customs and Excise, Asset
            Forfeiture Unit, SA Revenue Services; and

           Referral to any other relevant organization identified as necessary to achieve the said objectives.

PETITION BY THE RESIDENTS OF
ALBERTON, EKURHULENI
METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY,
CALLING ON THE ASSEMBLY TO
INVESTIGATE PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION AND
LEGISLATIVE COMPLIANCE IN
THE PROPOSED HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT IN ALBERTON,
SUBMITTED IN TERMS OF RULE
347 BY MR D BERGMAN (DA)

                               2
                               8

RESPONSE TO THE PETITION –
       HUMAN SETTLEMENT
BACKGROUND:
 The project is a mixed use development that will yield 3 687 units in the current
  zoning (Residential 4) to accommodate high density units (bonded townhouses;
  rental stock or social housing units and fully subsidized units), including other
  zonings like Public Open Space, Community Facility and Business which will allow for
  amenities like Schools; Churches; Crèches and Special uses.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS
 The public participation processes for both the township establishment application
  and the Environmental Impact Assessment were followed through.
 In terms of Section 69 (6) (a) read with Section 96 (1) of the Townships Ordinance
  of 1986, the public participation process took place through advertising on:
         Placed on site by means of site notices in prominent places in English and Afrikaans
          from the 05th of August to the 19th of August 2015.

RESPONSE TO THE PETITION – HUMAN
        SETTLEMENT
 Advertised in English and Afrikaans on local newspapers namely: The Times and Beeld for 2
  consecutive weeks.
 Advertised notices on the Government Gazette in English and Afrikaans for 2 consecutive
  weeks.
 The notice reads as follows:
“Particulars of the application will lie for inspection during normal office hours at the office of the
Department of City Planning, 11th Floor, Alberton Metro center, Alwyn Taljaard Avenue, New
Redruth for a period of 28 days from the 5th August 2015.
Objections to or representations in respect of the application must be lodged with or
made in writing in duplicate to the Area Manager: City Planning, at the above address
or at P.O.Box 4, Alberton, 1450 within the of 28 days from the 05th August 2015”.

 The application was approved by Head of Department: City Planning on the 10th January
  2017.

RESPONSE TO THE PETITION – HUMAN
      SETTLEMENT
EIA Public Participation Process:

 The Public Participation Process (PPP) is critical to the Scoping process and allows
  Interested and Affected Parties (I&AP’s) to voice their concerns and issues regarding
  the project.
 All identified Interested and Affected Parties (I&AP’s) were notified of the proposed
  project by fax and registered letter sent out on 05 February 2015. Notices were
  also hand delivered to neighbouring properties on the same date.
 The intended activity was furthermore advertised in the “Daily Sun” on 05 February
  2015. Notices were furthermore placed on and around the site on the same date.
 The State Departments, NGOs and Service Providers were notified via fax or email
  on 05 February 2015.

 31

RESPONSE TO THE PETITION – HUMAN
      SETTLEMENT
EIA Public Participation Process:

 The Environmental Authorization was approved on the 26th April
  2017, as all the requirements were met and that, the public
  participation process was carried out according to the requirements
  of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2010.

 32

PETITION BY THE RESIDENTS OF
WARD 37, ALBERTON NORTH,
EKURHULENI, CALLING ON THE
ASSEMBLY TO INVESTIGATE THE
ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF STAND
1/1224 NUMBER 42, SECOND
AVENUE, ALBERTON NORTH,
SUBMITTED IN TERMS OF RULE
347 (MR D BERGMAN).

                               3
                               3

RESPONSE TO THE PETITION – CITY
       PLANNING
 The contravention can be confirmed.
 The site is zoned single residential, and is being used for business purposes which is
  against the City’s Land use Scheme.
 The municipality issued a contravention notice during February 2020.
 This item was to have served at Petitions prior the lockdown during March 2020.
 Given the relaxation of the COVID-19 Lockdown FROM Level 4 to 3, a follow up
  inspection will be done to determine compliance and the issuance of the second
  contravention notice.
 Way forward can only be confirmed after site inspection to determine the legal use of
  the property and if matter will be escalated to the City’s Corporate and Legal
  Department should the illegal occupation persist.

THANK YOU

            35