Jozi budget set to help the poor

Just as Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba promised, the DA-led Metro has announced a R55.9 billion budget that is mostly slanted to address the needs of the poor in Greater Johannesburg.

Member of the mayoral committee for finance Rabelani Dagada yesterday tabled his first budget in line with Mashaba’s promise to prioritise the “forgotten people” of the city.

“We are ensuring that a minimum of 60% of capital expenditure is directed towards projects in Johannesburg’s poor and forgotten communities,” Dagada said.

In what he termed “making a break from the business-as-usual” approach, 51 informal settlements would be upgraded in the medium term – 10 of those in the coming financial year and 20 more the following year.

“A part of Joburg Water’s budget – R40 million – is set aside to enhance sanitation in informal settlements. This is a major increase from last year’s budget of R17 million,” Dagada said.

The settlements targeted include Slovo Park, Princess, Itsoseng, Meriting, Motsoaledi, Lawley, Ebumnandini, Alexandra, Ennerdale South and Zandspruit.

Dagada was grateful to the EFF for taking the plight of Slovo Park residents to the council, while Zandspruit, north west of Johannesburg, was visited by Mashaba last year. Slovo Park would be electrified at a cost of R50 million.

The city is to initiate housing developments for which R66 million has been allocated, with pilots of fully serviced plots for Univille, Lawley and Ennerdale.

Repairs and maintenance would be undertaken in city hostels and flats, with priority given to the Meadowlands Hostel (R20 million), Helen Joseph Women’s hostels (R35 million) and the Selby staff hostel (R32.3 million).

Dagada announced a target of 2 000 rental units to be developed, with 9 500 in the medium term. He increased the target set by the previous ANC administration from 3 750 mixed-housing units to 5 000 which, he said, would be built this fiscal year.

The R55.9 billion budget is up from R54.8 billion for the last financial year. The latest allocation comprises R47.3 billion operating budget and R8.6 billion capital budget.

A total of R5.2 billion would be spent to upgrade existing infrastructure, and R3.3 billion for the development of new infrastructure. More than R4 billion would be used to address maintenance.

“Although it is going to take time to turn around the years of neglect, we will prove that we are a truly pro-poor government through our actions,” Dagada said.

The poorest residents would receive between 10 and 15 kilolitres of free water per household per month, which Dagada said was above the national recommended six kilolitres.