MEYERTON. – The Sedibeng District Municipality’s (SDM) recent State of the District Address (SoDA) that was held at the Sicelo Community Hall in Meyerton outlined recent achievements and future priorities.
The SoDA was held under the theme: “District on the Rise: Promoting Solidarity and Equality for Sustainable Development” and Executive Mayor Lerato Maloka addressed councillors, stakeholders, and community members, calling for collective action to strengthen local development.
Maloka highlighted that youth unemployment remains a major challenge and that the district has partnered with SETAs and the Vaal University of Technology to roll out learnerships, internships, and skills programmes.
“Over 450 young people have been enrolled in fields such as business administration, food handling, plant production, and entrepreneurship, each receiving monthly stipends.”
Maloka said that for the first time in years, Sedibeng adopted a fully funded and cash-backed budget, marking significant progress in financial recovery and sound governance.
In economic growth and major projects, several catalytic projects are planned to boost the regional economy, including the Vaal Aerotropolis project, expected to create over 18,000 jobs. Additional focus areas include township tourism, CBD revitalisation, and new infrastructure to support local agriculture and manufacturing.
In infrastructure and transport it was mentioned that key upgrades include the completed first phase of the Vereeniging Intermodal Taxi Rank, with phase two now underway. Licensing centres in Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark, Meyerton, and Heidelberg are set to be upgraded to smart facilities.
The municipality said that it has applied for accreditation with the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements to directly manage and coordinate housing projects, a move that aims to speed up delivery and improve oversight.
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