Roads and public works paving the way
to the N2 will be finished later this year, and people are already using the road from Tombo to Isilimela Hospital, which was completed at a cost of R222-million in November.
Marawu also announced a little known fact: the province’s R5-billion budget is actually double this when the South African National Roads Agency’s (Sanral) R5-billion roadwork projects in the Eastern Cape are taken into account.
Sanral is funded nationally and the Eastern Cape is about the third-largest recipient of Sanral projects.
Marawu, delivering her 2017 policy speech, said: “We gather to pay tribute to Oliver Reginald Tambo, the longest-serving president of our movement, who would have been 100 years-old this year.
“This is the year we celebrate his extraordinary life and supreme contribution to our freedom.
“We honour his memory by pledging to strive together, sparing neither strength nor courage, to achieve his vision of a free, democratic and united society.”
The MEC, giving the big money picture, explained that if you add the R2 258-million her department will be spending on transport infrastructure to Sanral’s R5-billion, then R7.2-billion in total will be spent on roads in the Eastern Cape.
Of the province’s R5-billion, R1.467-million will go to public works and R609million on administration.
The 2017-18 budget is up 9% (R414-million) from last year.
In her speech, Marawu also listed 14 new road projects as well as the many roads also currently being repaired.