City of Joburg passes pro-development budget

City of Joburg passes pro-development budget

by | Mar 1, 2021

The Johannesburg City Council has approved the budget for the 2020/21 financial year, which seeks to prioritise the city’s economic revival and maintain uninterrupted service delivery.

The Adjustment Budget includes the allocation of R12.8 million for the operation of the Alexandra Automotive Hub, which includes a component shop, tyre fitment & alignment, panel beating, auto electrical work as well as services and maintenance workshops.

MMC for Finance, Jolidee Matongo, says the prioritised items are in a bid to stimulate the local economy and boost socio-economic development amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Matongo says the adjusted budget comes at a time when there has been a prolonged deterioration of metropolitan economies, which have contracted by at least  8% in 2020.

“We have also increased expenditure for social development by R18.1 million, which includes R15 million for the purchase and provision of vegetable packs for indigent communities.

Furthermore, under Pikitup, an additional R10 million has been allocated for personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure that staff members are provided with sufficient PPEs,” he said.

The local government has further allocated R9 million under City Power for Enterprise Supplier Development to stimulate the SETA entities and to boost enterprise development.

Matongo added that the City has also extensively invested resources in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw health employee-related costs increased by R92 million.

The budget also allocated R53.5 million to the revival of the City’s roads by the Joburg Roads Agency.

 A further R9 million has been allocated to City Power to cater for the Technical Strategy for Network Health Assessment to keep the lights on in the City.

Matongo says  the allocation for the New Basic Water and Sewer Services increased by R11.8 million to complete the project, and the Orange Farm Turnkey Project has also been allocated R128 million.

“Also included under the housing allocations is the formalisation of informal settlements across the City, and the renewal of bulk infrastructure City wide increased by R14.3 million.

Furthermore, under housing, up to R24.7 million has been allocated for the preventative maintenance of facilities and the planned maintenance of retirement homes and flats,” he adds.

When will service delivery improve, asks Vhembe FM

When will service delivery improve, asks Vhembe FM

by | Apr 18, 2019

Vhembe FM held an election debate that gave the community of Thohoyandou, Limpopo an opportunity to hold political parties accountable for the lack of service delivery.

The debate, held on Monday, 15 April, ran under the theme “Will Poor Service Delivery Come To An End?” This comes after months of tension in the district of Vhembe as residents have been protesting against the lack of clean running water, corruption and mismanagement of municipal funds and the municipal demarcation of Vuwani and Malamulele.

Political parties that participated in the discussion included the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), the African National Congress (ANC), the Economic Freedom Fighters  (EFF), the International Revelation Congress (IRC) and the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC).

Vhembe municipality has a record 63.58% of fruitless and wasteful expenditure which is more than double the figure in other municipalities in Limpopo.

Vuwani drew international attention two years ago when some 30 schools were burnt down as residents demanded to be reincorporated into the Makhado Local Municipality. Residents of the area recently vowed not to participate in the election if their concerns are not addressed.

Click here to listen to the debate, in tshiVenda. – Vhembe FM (edited by Veronica Makhoali)