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The Solidarity Research Institute (SRI) today released its Liveability Monitor for Gauteng during a press conference during which the province’s worst and best municipalities were named. The municipalities of Merafong City, Westonaria and Randfontein all form part of the West Rand District Municipality and they received the lowest scores. The Liveability Monitor forms part of Solidarity’s tax campaign launched earlier this year. Mainly through research, the trade union acts as watchdog by monitoring the spending of the workers’ taxes.
    
Eugene Brink, senior researcher at the SRI, said the purpose of the monitor is to measure the liveability of the province at municipal level. Liveability is measured by analysing a range of key indicators as well as sub-indicators falling under it. ‘Westonaria and Merafong City both scored 5 out of 10 while Randfontein scored 5,5 out of 10 for liveability. All these municipalities fall under the West Rand District Municipality. According the 2011 QOL index, the level of dissatisfaction in Westonaria and Merafong are among the highest in Gauteng and residents are dissatisfied with, among others, water supply, sanitation, waste disposal, roads and the cost of services and billing. A number of positions in Westonaria are vacant, including that of the chief financial officer and the senior superintendent for law enforcement and security. During the past financial year, Randfontein suffered water losses to the amount of R1, 7 million as a result of theft, faulty meters and leaks. In addition, it also suffered power distribution losses of R21 million due to illegal connections and faulty meters.’
 
Brink said Mogale City (Krugersdorp), also part of the West Rand District Municipality, scored 7 out of 10. ‘Several recent irregularities occurred in the municipality, including the signing of a contract for the installation of water meters with a dubious company. Two of the three metropolitan municipalities, namely Johannesburg and Tshwane, also scored 7 out of 10, while Ekurhuleni had to be content with 6,5 out of 10. In the Auditor General's audit report, Johannesburg received a qualified audit, primarily due to its chaotic billing system. However, this metro takes the lead when it comes to water supply and water quality. In a media report earlier this year, the rating agency Ratings Africa indicated that as far as financial stability is concerned, Tshwane had the worst performance of all the metro councils. However, Tshwane made the most progress ​​with the provision of low-cost housing. The Special Investigations Unit's investigation into irregularities at Ekurhuleni exposed more startling revelations about municipal officials’ forged matric certificates, forged receipts, ghost employees and employees' criminal records.’
 
Lesedi Municipality, part of the Sedibeng District Municipality, was the only other municipality to score 7 out of 10. Sedibeng's two other municipalities, namely Midvaal and Emfuleni, both received 6 out of 10.
 
* The Liveability Monitor is a useful, compact guide on liveability in South African municipalities and metropolitan areas. The monitor is based on available data and is therefore not all-encompassing; it is intended as a snapshot and not as an analysis over time. As further information becomes available or as more information can be included in future, the liveability scores for municipalities and metropolitan areas can adjust and be compared with previous years.
 
To download the Liveability Monitor, click here <http://www.solidarityresearch.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/liveabilityindex.pdf>