Walter Sisulu Local Municipality Reflects on Progress and Sets a Clear Path Forward During the 2026 State of the Municipal Address
Story: Relebohile Mxhosana | Photo: Relebohile Mxhosana
The Mayor of Walter Sisulu Local Municipality (WSLM),Cllr Vania Davids, delivered the 2026 State of the Municipal Address (SOMA) in the presence of Human settlement MEC Siphokazi Lusithi, Joe Gqabi Economic Development Agency(JoGEDA), Department of Sports, Recreation and Arts and Culture(DSRAC), Department of Home Affairs, Department of Education (DOE), Department of Agriculture (DOA), Department of Community Safety, and Ikhala Tvetcollege presenting a comprehensive overview of the municipality’s achievements over the past years, acknowledging existing challenges, and outlining strategic priorities for the 2026/27 financial year.
Addressing councillors, government representatives, stakeholders and members of the community, mayorreaffirmed the municipality’s commitment to strengthening governance, improving service delivery, and fostering sustainable socio-economic development across all communities within the municipality.
In her address, the mayor highlighted the significant progressmade in strengthening institutional governance and organisational stability. She noted that the municipality has continued to invest in building a capable administration founded on professionalism, accountability and integrity, ensuring that quality services are delivered to residents efficiently and transparently. Infrastructure development remains a key priority for the municipality. Since 2021, Walter Sisulu Local Municipality has invested more than R140 million in infrastructure projects across its five towns. These investments have included the paving and resealing of roads, electrification of informal settlements, maintenance and upgrading of street lighting, improvements to the electricity network, and the construction and upgrading of sports facilities. The mayor said, “Theseinvestments demonstrate the municipality’s ongoing commitment to improving the quality of life of its residents through sustainable infrastructure development.”
The municipality has also recorded progress in delivering essential services to communities. Continued road maintenance, household electrification, restoration of streetlights, improved refuse collection services and enhanced response mechanisms to community complaints have contributed towards strengthening service delivery and ensuring that residents receive reliable municipal services.
While reflecting on these achievements, Mayor acknowledged that the municipality continues to face several challenges that require collective effort and innovative solutions. These include ageing infrastructure, high levels of unemployment, limited municipal revenue, shortages of equipment and operational tools, Eskom debt, and the slow delivery of low-income housing. She emphasised that overcoming these challenges will require unity, collaboration and strong partnerships between government, business, communities, and other stakeholders. Youth development included in the mayor’s address as one of the municipality’s strategic priorities. The municipality has created more than 400 learnership opportunities, deployedfive education activators across its five towns to support learners in high schools, appointed Performing Arts Activators, launched the Walter Sisulu Alive initiative, and announced the establishment of a Performing Arts Studio. The municipality also continues to create employment opportunities for young people within the municipal administration, recognising youth as key drivers of future development. She further reaffirmed the municipality’s commitment to stable financial governance by promoting financial discipline, accountability, transparency, value for money and sustainable development. She emphasised that responsible financial management is fundamental to protecting public resources and ensuring that every rand invested delivers maximum benefit to local communities and to the institution.
To stimulate economic growth and promote inclusive development, the municipality intends to continue empowering historically disadvantaged individuals and communities while unlocking underutilised municipal land and properties for investment. Strengthening partnerships with the private sector and enhancing municipal revenue generation remain central to creating employment opportunities and supporting long-term economic development.
Looking ahead, it was announced that R61 million has been allocated for priority capital projects during the 2026/27 financial year. Planned projects include the upgrading of the Burgersdorp Sports Facility, the establishment of a new landfill site in Maletswai, the refurbishment of the Mzamomhle Community Hall, the paving of streets in Maletswai, the upgrading of access roads in Steynsburg and Burgersdorp, and the electrification of the Joe Gqabi Extension in Maletswai.
Concluding her address, Mayor Davids called upon all residents, community organisations, government institutions,and the private sector to work together in building a stronger, more inclusive, and prosperous Walter Sisulu.She reaffirmed the municipality’s commitment to responsive governance, improved service delivery, and sustainable development, ensuring that no community is left behind as the municipality continues to build a better future for all.