Whole of society approach ensure Western Cape citizens receive adequate services

On Friday 20 October, the Provincial Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers joined the Deputy Mayor of Langebaan Charmaine Laubscher at the unveiling of the newly installed inverter and solar PV system at the Langebaan Municipal Clinic .

The inverter and PV Solar panels were donated by Langebaan’s Civil Society Organisation (CSO) and local businesses to the clinic. The Langebaan Municipality through the Department of Infrastructure as well as Health and Wellness were able to get the necessary approvals for installation. The new equipment will assist the municipal clinic in providing the necessary services to the public without the hindrance of loadshedding. Before this, the daily services of the clinic were interrupted whenever there was loadshedding.

Deputy Mayor Laubscher expressed her gratitude to the Western Cape Government (WCG) and community members for their support. “I would like to thank the WCG departments for their quick turnaround in facilitating and assisting the CSO and clinic. They ensured that this installation complied with the necessary standards.”

Minister Simmers proceeded to Cape Agulhas to unveil the new Waste Water Treatment Plant in Napier. The Minister was joined by the Executive Mayor Paul Swart, at the ceremonial opening of the facility. This is a R37 million investment and is one of three Membrane Bio-Reactor (MBR) facilities in the province. The investment in this new facility is due to the previous Napier Waste Water Treatment Plant having reached its limit of hydraulic design and thus being unable to produce the required quality effluent.

Mayor Swart said, “The opening of this plant is part of the greater plan of developing Napier with marquee housing development to follow soon. It also ensures that the town’s infrastructure is sufficient to accommodate future population growth.”

In his review of the day’s proceedings, Minister Simmers highlighted the importance of the whole-of-society approach. “The launch of the inverters and solar PV system in Langebaan signified the endless possibilities that can be achieved when we all work together as a society to find innovative solutions that can improve the lives of many citizens. The clinic will now be able to provide the necessary services for the health and wellbeing of the town’s residents undisturbed.”

He further continued to say that “the opening of this new wastewater facility highlights the Western Cape Government’s future thinking approach in the development of our province. The investment of R37 million means that we are investing in infrastructure of the highest quality and lookig after the wellbeing of our citizens.”