May 30, 2003
By Bongani Majola
GAUTENG MEC for finance and economic affairs Jabu Moleketi on Friday welcomed the City of Johannesburg budget tabled by executive mayor Amos Masondo this week, as a "realistic and focused budget".
"We concur with the mayor that the budget is not simply a numbers' game," Moleketi said in a statement, "but it is guided by the Joburg 2030 strategy and underpinned by the Integrated Development Plan".
Moleketi further highlighted the capital investment infrastructure as being of "particular interest" to the provincial government.
Delivering the budget on Wednesday, Masondo said a capital investment plan was developed to ensure that three components receive the necessary attention: namely, maintaining current resources such as environmental assets and infrastructure; addressing the needs of historically disadvantaged areas in a programmatic fashion; and planning for future investments based on desirable development scenarios.
"In line with the Joburg 2030 strategy, infrastructural development remains the key focus. A sum of R392-million will be spent by City Power and the Johannesburg Roads Agency on, both new and replacement, capital spending," said Masondo.
The Johannesburg Development Agency's capital allocation was revised from R30-million to R60-million, in line with city government's priority to continue the upgrading of the inner city.
Some of the areas earmarked for capital investment this year include:
- development of parks, environmental areas and cemeteries - R20-million;
- key projects such as Constitution Hill, Braamfontein Regeneration, Kliptown and the Drill Hall - R60-million;
- upgrading and development of waste facilities - R14-million;
- expansion of the CCTV programme - R8-million;
- water and sewerage-related projects - R192-million;
- roads upgrading and construction programme - R102-million;
- electricity projects and programmes - R84-million;
- upgrading and development of community facilities such as the upgrading of the Hillbrow Library, the Protea South Clinic and the Poortjie Library - R11-million;
- clinic upgrades - R5-million.
Moleketi added that the provincial government, through his department, would continue the partnership with the City on the province's R3 billion Blue IQ projects that fell within the Johannesburg metropolitan area.
"The partnership has been further strengthened by the allocation of resources to these projects, where the province is investing in tourism, smart industries and high value-added manufacturing," Moleketi said.
"We believe as stated in the budget speech that this will have medium to long-term benefits for the regeneration of the City and reducing levels of unemployment".
