Pretoria - The City of Tshwane has tabled a capital investment of R2.35 billion for the 2023/24 financial year, aimed at addressing the inequality in townships, according to Finance MMC Peter Sutton
The Budget, he said, would benefit Mamelodi flood victims who would be relocated in the next financial year.
He said the relocation involved approaching the National Treasury with a request to reallocate R285 million for the Pienaarspoort land acquisition for the purpose of this relocation.
“The City has received written confirmation from the National Treasury that this has been granted. I have to qualify that various capital investments are planned for the 2023/24 financial year, but due to the recent events in Hammanskraal, we are prioritising a number of these to ensure that we drive as much funding as possible towards Rooiwal,” he said.
The project to capacitate Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant received a budget of R450m, which will be allocated over the next three years and split into R150m every year.
The city’s initial capital infrastructure investment budget sent out for public comment was R2.4bn. The tabled metro’s total budget was R46.9bn, consisting of an operating budget of R44.5bn.
Sutton said the city identified over 20 communities spread across Tshwane to drive investment.
“In Soshanguve, we will invest R42.6m for roads and stormwater upgrades in extension 19, Block FF Area 4 and Block L Area 3; the construction of a 10km 132kV overhead power line for Block JJ; sewer and water reticulation to 80 stands in Block MM; the completion and handover of 16.43km of roads and stormwater infrastructure in extension 12 and 13 and a project to address the flooding backlog in Block WW,” he said.
The city will invest R16.6m in Winterveld in preparation for a concrete canal, water reticulation and roads and stormwater.
People in Mamelodi can look forward to an investment of R88.6m for water reticulation for 512 stands in extension 6, Phomolong, sewer reticulation for 532 stands in Phomolong, and the development of hostels.
The Budget would also be used for addressing flooding backlogs, water and sanitation services installation of 984m of steel pipe in extension 11, the upgrade of Buitenkant Street, and work at Denneboom depot and the Denneboom intermodal facility.
Sutton said: “We will also invest R344.1m into citywide electricity programmes, which will include electricity for all connection programmes in all regions, communications upgrades, 11kV panel extensions in substations, strengthening the 11kV cable network and overhead network and maintaining secondary substations.”
He said that for the city to effect service delivery in critical departments such as energy and electricity it would need capable people, vehicles and tools of trade, material and a positive attitude.
“We have the people, but we need more skilled people in certain departments. However, our salary bill is already high, which is evident in the R12bn salary projection and the more than 19 000 workforce of the city,” he said.
Regarding tariff hikes, he said the city was proposing an increase across all core services.
“Property rates at 5%, electricity at 15.1%, water and sanitation at 9.2% and refuse removal at 6%. This will be an average increase of 8.9%. The electricity and water increases are directly linked to the Nersa-approved tariff and the Rand Water-approved tariff. A 0% salary increase – this is not a decision taken lightly …” Sutton said.
Pretoria News