Polokwane is moving closer to achieving metropolitan status, Executive Mayor John Mpe announced, following an upgrade in the municipality’s rating from Grade 5 to Grade 6.
While the upgrade signals progress, the municipality continues to grapple with significant service delivery issues. In January, residents of Seshego reported a gastrointestinal outbreak, citing abdominal pain, vomiting and severe diarrhoea, which they attributed to contaminated water.
Mayor Mpe acknowledged ongoing water supply challenges, noting a daily deficit of 55 million litres.
“To address this, we have both short- and medium-term projects aimed at improving supply efficiency,” Mpe said. He highlighted the development of a hybrid Seshego water purification plant, expected to produce between eight and 10 million litres per day, as well as a separate project projected to generate an additional 80 million litres daily to stabilise the area.
Infrastructure investment is also a focus, with Mpe pointing to improvements in road networks as a driver for economic growth and increased accessibility in rural areas. The construction of new shopping centres, he said, reflects both job creation and investment attraction.
However, residents have previously threatened to shut down the provincial capital over high municipal bills and ongoing water shortages. Mpe suggested that these protests were being orchestrated by elements of the so-called construction mafia, claiming some individuals were paid to destabilise the municipality.
Despite these challenges, the municipality says it remains committed to progressing toward metro status while addressing critical service delivery gaps.