Good Morning, Alderman, Councillors, Sub council staff, City officials, ladies and gentlemen, the month of May has been extremely busy month with a number of activities taking place within our sub council. 
 
Having completed the Integrated Development Program, we found that there was a great need to provide communities with a safe environment; because of the comments received, the City launched the Social Housing Project at the Kewtown units, which will focus on drug houses in rental stock, damage to council property, and all antisocial behaviour. The City has also approved a Disaster management team, which will be stationed at the Satellite office.  Once in operation contact numbers will be made available.  I am pleased to report that additional EPWP programs such as The Job seekers survey, the Housing Audit survey, and the Graffiti Cleaning project have been implemented.   We hope to arrange additional Programs for the sub council and request that Councillor’s forward their plans for their wards. 

Furthermore, the mayor has launched the Urban Regeneration Programme, which includes eight nodes two of which are in Sub council 11, Athlone CBD and the Nyanga Junction. Many areas, although physically close to the business centres, provide their citizens with very little opportunity for economic mobility. It is important to stress that decay does not just refer to the general grime and deterioration that comes with time, but the erosion of the economic vitality of our economic centres.

The Mayor’s Urban Regeneration campaign aims to improve these conditions and lay the foundation for future economic activity.
This morning the South African Police Service assisted with the implementation of the Truancy Program, this is a pilot project in Athlone. Although Education is not a council function, the number of pupils walking the street during school hours has become a matter of concern.  With the assistance of the Department Education, a program was developed which included SAPS, Law enforcement and the Civic Associations within Ward 49.  The project identifies absentee pupils who will be assessed by the Department of Education and Social Development.

In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the councillors of Sub council 17 who have contributed towards a festival in the Greater Athlone area.  I am excited about this festival, which has been long overdue, and look forward to working with all role players in creating a successful event. Thank you.

• Cllr Leputhing welcomes the report and asked that the anti-social programme, Truancy and Gangsterism
 be rolled out in other wards 42, 44, and 45.
• Cllr Moses informed the members that Kikhi and Lotus is part of the programme.

The subcouncil NOTED the speech.