Western Cape infrastructure department tables R10.2bn budget

Western Cape infrastructure MEC Tertuis Simmers recently tabled the department’s budget for the 2024/2025 financial year with a focus on empowering the youth, upgrading infrastructure and providing homes to the less fortunate.

Simmers broke down the R10.2bn budget, under the

Building Tomorrow, Investing

in the Progress of the Western Cape, last week.

The budget will see increased investment in key infrastructure youth development and empowerment programmes, including bursaries for full-time students working towards a degree or diploma in the infrastructure sector.

He said a large portion of the budget, R2.23bn, would go to the human settlements department.

“With the department having already delivered 43,870 quality houses over the past five years, the Western Cape is the leading province in financing affordable housing,” he said.

“Western Cape residents can expect to see an acceleration of delivery this year with R100m set aside for projects.”

Simmers said constructing the road between George and Oudtshoorn would receive R230.8m.

“The contractor development programme has been allocated R4.6m.

“This will advance the fostering of small, medium and micro enterprises as they progress from low to higher gradings from the Construction Industry Development Board.

“The department has set aside R7m for the artisan apprenticeship programme in this financial year. The public works programme will receive a budget allocation of R2.4bn.

“An amount of R275.5m will go towards construction projects. The department contributes towards the building and maintenance facilities to ensure that residents of this province are provided with high-quality health care and school facilities.

“In the R5.18bn for transport infrastructure, a sum of R1.22bn has been set aside for the construction of new and replacement projects.”

He said several projects for the year ahead were expected to generate employment for 1,676 job seekers, 137 local enterprises and 36 emerging businesses. These include:

Upgrading Mariners Way;

Upgrading and maintenance of the MR191 (R45 Simondium to Franschhoek and Franschhoek Pass);

Construction of the new North-West Malmesbury bypass;

Upgrade of the R43, Stanford to Gansbaai;

Strengthening of N12 Waboomskraal to Holgaten (between George and Oudtshoorn); and

Periodic maintenance of the R63 between the Northern Cape border and Murraysburg.

Simmers described the budget as the Western Cape government’s commitment to creating a prosperous future for residents.

“This budget reflects our unwavering commitment to building bridges of opportunity and prosperity for all residents of the Western Cape.”