eMalahleni — The eMalahleni Local Municipality has outlined its development agenda for the 2025/2026 financial year, focusing on water, sanitation and electricity, as population growth continues to outpace revenue and ageing infrastructure comes under rising demand.
This emerged during an Integrated Development Plan (IDP) Representative Forum held on 21 January 2026 at the Banquet Hall in eMalahleni. The forum brought together key stakeholders, sector departments and community representatives to engage with municipal priorities, service delivery programmes and long-term development initiatives.
Executive Mayor Vusi Nhlapho said water and sanitation, as well as electricity supply in areas such as Ga-Nala, remain the municipality’s most pressing challenges.
“The overall status of the municipality, including the payment rate and sources of funding for the capital budget, was outlined, along with updates on water and sanitation, electricity supply, roads and stormwater infrastructure, spatial development, human settlements and local economic development. Environmental management, waste services, community services, corporate services and municipal financial services were also covered,” Mayor Nhlapho said.
Over 240 million capital budget to address key needs
The municipality has allocated a capital budget of over 240 million for the 2025/2026 financial year to address infrastructure backlogs. The funds are earmarked for water, sanitation, electricity and broader municipal services. The funding is drawn from multiple sources from:
- Municipal Infrastructure Grant: R138,9 million
- Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant: R30 million
- Department of Energy funding: R27,7 million
- Municipal own funding: R19,5 million
- Water Infrastructure Grant: R15,4 million
- Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant: R5 million
- Energy Efficiency Demand-Side Management Grant: R3 million
- Financial Management Grant: R1,5 million
Water supply under strain
The municipality operates three water supply schemes — Witbank, Rietspruit and Ga-Nala — alongside external bulk water suppliers including Anglo, Glencore and Eskom Kendal. Rising demand, ageing infrastructure, theft and vandalism, and inconsistent bulk water supply continue to hamper service delivery.
A bulk water pipeline project from Klarinet and Siyanqoba to the Point A reservoir is underway to improve capacity. Construction began in August 2021 and is expected to be completed in February 2026, with 1,46 kilometres of water pipeline already installed.
Sanitation systems pushed beyond capacity
Sanitation remains a major concern, with six of eight wastewater treatment plants operating beyond capacity. Affected plants including the Ferrobank, Klipspruit, Rietspruit, Ga-Nala, Riverview and Naauwpoort — are overstretched, which cause sewage to overflow into streets and even people’s yards. Repairs can sometimes take time, leaving communities exposed to raw sewage until the system either stops overflowing naturally or the municipality intervenes.
The Ogies/Phola plant remains within capacity. While the Thubelihle plant is non-functional due to theft and vandalism that has persisted for months, including a major line trip on 27 December 2025 along the Kwaguqa–Vulcan–Churchill line, which disrupted electricity supply to critical infrastructure such as water pump stations.
To address sanitation pressures, the municipality is implementing the installation of an outfall sewer bulk line for Empumelelweni, covering wards 1, 2, 23 and 29. The project, which began in July 2023, is scheduled for completion in June 2026.
Electricity: balancing demand, losses and vandalism
Residents face electricity challenges from township expansions and illegal connections, often resulting in overloaded transformers, theft and vandalism, with winter load reduction worsening outages.
Despite these challenges, electrification projects are progressing. In Hlalanikahle, 341 housing units are set to receive electricity as part of a project that commenced in October 2025 and is expected to be completed by April 2026.
Stakeholders’ projects complementing municipality’s efforts
At the forum, stakeholders also shared updates on projects that complement the municipality’s efforts to strengthen community service delivery in their respective departments. Department of Health representative Mpungwe CEO Malisela Litlalo reported on three major hospital initiatives:
- Specialised psychiatric hospital: Planning stage two approximately 50% complete; budget R36 billion, of which R5 million spent.
- Linah Malatjie Tertiary Hospital (400 beds): Footprint revised to 72,000 m²; tender expected in Q4 pending national approval.
- Witbank Hospital repairs/upgrades: Includes heritage and mental health facilities; 65% complete; expected finish 27 April 2026.
Matla Coal representative Lorraine Mofokeng said the company is concluding its 2020–2025 Social and Labour Plan, with projects such as Bonginhlanhla Primary School upgrades, the Thubelihle Substation and Ebungeneni Road rehabilitation nearing completion.
The company said it invested about R36 million over the period, supporting local small and medium businesses, education initiatives and community programmes, with further support planned for health and marginalised groups in 2026.
