On the 2nd of October 2025: The fourth round of the Annual Report Public Hearings was held at the Border Post Community Hall under Amahlathi Local Municipality. Acting Executive Mayor for the day, Bandile Ketelo, presented Amathole District Municipality’s performance and spending for the past financial year, with a focus on water, sanitation, and infrastructure projects.
What Happened
The hearing provided a platform for the district to account to communities about its service delivery progress. Key projects stressed included:
- Amahlathi Area Wide Sanitation Project: 1,250 VIP toilets completed from a 1,496-unit backlog.
- Stutterheim Water Pipe Replacement: 95% of construction already completed.
- Zingcuka Water Supply Project: reached the final completion phase.
Community members welcomed these developments but urged the municipality to accelerate delivery, stressing that water and sanitation remain fundamental human rights.
Official Response
Mayor Ketelo explained how financial allocations were linked to projects, saying transparency and accountability remain central to governance.
“Our aim is to ensure that communities see the value of every rand spent. Monitoring and evaluation help us track progress and correct weaknesses,” he said.
MPAC Chairperson, ADM councillors, and local leaders attended to support the session, which formed part of a district-wide programme continuing on 3 October 2025 in Mbhashe Local Municipality at 11h00.
Community Impact
Community leaders applauded progress but raised further recommendations, including:
- Strengthening the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to boost local jobs.
- Expanding focus on tourism and agriculture as key economic drivers in Amahlathi.
“These public hearings remind us that governance must remain people-driven,” one community representative said.
