We have taken up the directive from national government to put impetus behind achieving the key outcomes our department has been tasked with. These outcomes are sustainable human settlements and improved quality of household’s life; as well as a responsive, accountable, effective and efficient local government system.
Our efforts towards meeting these outcomes are reflected in our performance targets set in the department’s annual performance plan for the 2010/11 financial year.
While outlining our plans for the next financial year, I will also touch on how we are fairing in achieving performance targets for the financial year ending 31 March this year.
The department has put in place a range of programmes to eradicate informal settlements; achieve urban renewal and create decent shelter for our people in rural areas, including rental and social housing and community rental units for people residing in hostels. Through these initiatives we have created 34 302 housing opportunities this year.
During the course of the next financial year we will conclude our urban renewal projects in Bekkersdaal and continue with the remaining ones in Alexander and Evaton. In contributing to the integration of the most northern part of the province into Tshwane we have decided to add Winterveldt to our urban renewal programme. To that effect, we have concluded a business plan that will be realised over seven years starting from the next financial year.
We have identified a further 13 pieces of land for development programmes. We hope to conclude negotiations on those programmes and complete Geo-technical studies in time for the next financial year. Over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period we will work with Ekurhuleni Metro, West Rand and Sedibeng District municipalities to carry out projects in line with inner city revitalization programme in Gauteng. We will mainly focus on Germiston, Krugersdorp and
Vereeniging as the Premier has already announced in her State of the Province Address.
The Executive Council has approved a housing inclusionary policy. In order to enforce this policy we are putting a bill through the legislature during the course of this year. This move will assist us in changing the housing development landscape in the province and complement our efforts in the mixed housing projects currently underway in the province.
As indicated in the premier’s speech, the sewer works in the Sedibeng district and southern parts of the City of Johannesburg are running at full capacity. This causes repeated pipe bursts which sometimes result in spillages into parts of the Vaal River. Government has resolved to erect a new treatment plant and upgrade the sewer system. This will be a joint venture involving National Treasury, Department of Water Affairs, City of Johannesburg, Sedibeng District and Gauteng Provincial Government. From the initial costing that we have done, the project will cost no less than R3 billion over the MTEF period.
In terms of our poorest township programme, government will put a special focus on Tembisa. We have thus far concluded what we call the Tembisa Master Plan consisting of multiple projects from all sister departments. We hope to experience a different Tembisa by 2014. The local government turnaround strategy is our beacon of hope to restore the confidence of people in local government and achieving a stable and sound system of municipalities. After repeated interventions since the inception of the local government system in our democracy, we believe that with the turnaround strategy we may finally turn the corner.
We believe the province has in many ways during this financial year contributed to the main elements of the turnaround strategy. We have made remarkable strides towards Operation Clean Audit by achieving unqualified audits in 10 of our 14 municipalities.
In enhancing our revenue collection capabilities, the Executive Council (EXCO) has approved a framework within which municipalities can recover what is owed to them. This includes a landmark decision by EXCO to allow municipalities to sell their debt book to an expert debt collector.
On 5 March 2010 we will launch an integrated energy strategy for the province. The significant part of the strategy is the use of solar geysers in households. In the next financial year we will rollout 30 000 such geyser and 180 000 over the MTEF.
Provincial government has in this financial year approved the policy and the Bill on Traditional Leadership, the policy on municipal by laws, the framework on the ward committee system and how to optimise the role of community development workers.
The local government ten point plan will translate into our actual outputs. We will continue to strive for universal access to basic services such as water, sanitation, refuse collection and electricity in the province. In the next financial year we will push the boundaries even further with the intention of achieving 100 percent by 2014.
We will pay special attention to local economic development to enable locals to participate in projects that bring job opportunities, commercial activity and create an environment in which small business can take off. We will also ensure that our Integrated Development Planning (IDP) are reliable and credible by containing only those issues we are sure that the municipality will be able to carry out as opposed to a long wish list.
We will support municipalities to improve their administrative and financial capabilities and refocus them on issues of maladministration which in many cases is at the root of corruption.
If we, together with municipalities, succeed on these issues we will in all probability bring about a political and administrative sound system and restore our people’s confidence in the system of local government.
For enquiries please contact:
Fred Mokoko
Cell: 082 447 8407
Issued by: Department of Local Government and Housing, Gauteng Provincial Government
23 February 2010
