INTERVIEW heritage. We
INTERVIEW heritage. We are not doing that very well at this stage; it is just a 20-minute drive from Johannesburg to enjoy all of these things. Please tell us the story of Heineken in Midvaal. Is this an example of partnership? Heineken is a great development. To date they have spent in excess of R7-billion in the municipality upscaling their facility and really gearing themselves to compete progressively. It was a flagship development. Now if you look around there’s so many other industries and businesses that have moved, some are part of the value-chain for Heineken. This is getting development going along the R59. Heineken has been a really good corporate citizen. We have partnered on some incredible CSI projects which have left a lasting legacy in the municipality from primary healthcare, monitoring vehicles and others. From the bulk services point of view there have been some interesting solutions. We are currently in a discussion with them about a 10MW solar plant. What is the R59 development? This is an iconic part of the municipality, demonstrating our intention to draw and attract business. The R59 is a major regional route which goes through the municipality from Johannesburg to the Free State. The route also hosts two-way infrastructure, one is a Sasol pipeline, the second part is the Rand Water pipeline that feeds Gauteng. We want to help industry develop along that spine. The R59 today is what Midrand was 10 or 15 years ago. These nodes have been identified for projects: Wildebeest Fontein, De Deur, Mamello, Waterval and Sicelo. Midvaal has received international awards for “excellence in investment and innovation” – what are the factors that won that award? It reflects the idea of service to the community, the strength of our governance in Midvaal that has created the stability and predictability and our agility in making decisions. In the Heineken experience, we had to work within different time zones when the executives from Heineken were sitting in Holland. We even signed an agreement which had penalty clauses where if we could not make decisions in a timeframe, then we would pay penalties. My predecessors started a very different strategy compared to everyone else. We started to operate outside of what people see as normal limitations. We started saying what do you need, let’s see how we can make it possible, and go the extra mile because we understand the importance of these developments. What are the most attractive opportunities for future investors? We want to engage with unlocking access to industries that are important for the future. Energy is incredibly important, whether it is through the traditional means or alternatives means or through waste-to-energy. The Heineken brewery has expanded operations several times in recent years. Credit: Esaba Consulting Engineers I believe grey water is the liquid platinum of the future. We should have innovative mechanisms to reutilise water in various stages in an efficient and effective manner. Finance is linked to technology and I think that municipalities should venture into integrating research and development in those industries. If a fintech company wanted to invest, would you have enough bandwidth? It has to start with finding a partner who is prepared to lay the foundation of the infrastructure. With Heineken we did not have a reservoir and a sub-station at first. We need an initial partner, then we would be able to get in other players later. How did your organisation achieve seven consecutive clean audits? Fortunately, I am head of a stable municipality which has the basic policies all in good working condition and the right institutional memory. What I had to do was build and improve the systems and processes. You need to worry about the thing that delivers consistency. It has brought the culture of performance, accountability and transparency but also we have a deeply embedded culture of compliance. On average, we are achieving 94% with our audits, year-on-year, so the system is also able to deliver. We are strengthening our governance: every year we are finding flaws and the Auditor General is assisting us to say you could improve in specific areas. This an opportunity to improve our systems. Are your staff proud of their record? Oh absolutely. All of them they would walk around with their medal if medals were presented every year! I think they know the public appreciates them. My responsibility is to remind them of the goal. When people tell us how wonderful and fantastic we are, I am the guy to remind them of the road still ahead, and what we still need to achieve. The worst thing is to believe the hype and drop your performance and your integrity and the respect that you have for the system and for the consumer we are working for. Those are the things we must guard against. 12 | www.opportunityonline.co.za
PROFILE Midvaal Local Municipality Inclusively serving the needs of the community. Contact details Customer Services: 0861 643 8225 Fax: +27 (16) 360 7519 Email: via website Website: www.midvaal.gov.za Midvaal Local Municipality is one of three local municipalities within the Sedibeng District Municipality, located in the Southern region of Gauteng Province. The principal towns in the municipality are Meyerton, where the municipal offices are located, Daleside, Randvaal, Henley on Klip, Walkerville and De Deur. Natural features include the Vaal River and Dam, Klip River and the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve. Fast facts Size: 1722km² Population: 111 600 Major sectors Manufacturing: 29.5% Financial and business services: 18.5% Trade: 14.5% Major routes R59 freeway (Midvaal's major development corridor); N1; N3; R82 Awards 2021 Golden Arrow award, PMR Africa 2021 Most proactive Mayor award in Sedibeng District 2020 Seventh consecutive clean audit 2018 Best Performing Municipality: service delivery satisfaction, GCRO survey Vision To inclusively serve the needs of our community. Mission We strive daily to enrich the lives of our people, by: • Adopting a mindset of innovation to revolutionise the way we operate • Leveraging partnerships to realise our full potential • Driving sustainability within the local ecosystem • Growing the economy in Midvaal, premised on incubating entrepreneurship, socio-economic growth and environmental responsibility • Providing excellent and standardised service delivery for all • Prioritising the upliftment of our youth • Being an ethical and proactive local municipality • Elevating Midvaal to be the best and most attractive municipality in the country Credit: Property24 www.opportunityonline.co.za | 13
