R1bn housing fund for low incomes
State of the Province address highlights an array of positives out of 2011
GAUTENG Premier Nomvula Mokonyane has thrown a lifeline to local nurses, police officers and teachers by setting aside R1 billion to help them secure homes.
Mokonyane made the announcement during her State of the Province address at Pretoria University’s Mamelodi Campus yesterday.
Other highlights of her speech included: health services being beefed up, more jobs, a war on corruption, and the war against Aids is being won.
HOUSING
“In the next financial year, the government will provide housing for the income category of R3 500 to R15 000. This is the category that includes civil servants such as teachers, nurses, police and factory employees who in the past could not qualify for an RDP house and who could also not access bank loans.
“Government will now, through the R1bn housing fund, stand surety for applicants from this category,” Mokonyane said.
About R240 million would be allocated towards buying 15 pockets of land for low-income and affordable housing.
Construction of the Cosmo City, Olievenhoutbosch Ext 27 and Alexandra Ext 10 projects had been completed. “We have increased the number of settlements that are truly racially integrated and inhabited by mixed income groups with amenities like schools, clinics, shopping centres and crèches,” she added.
EDUCATION
Over 1.1 million pupils in the province have access to no-fee schools. “We provide nutritious meals every school day to over 1 million learners and also provide school uniforms to deserving learners and transport for those who live more than 5km from school,” Mokonyane said.
SOCIAL SERVICES
The province planned to reduce the number of recipients of the child-support grant by creating jobs and business opportunities for 1 200 of its recipients.
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
Since the introduction of the Tembisa Master Plan, 1 842 houses had been built and 200 sites serviced.
Murder in Gauteng has declined by 16 percent
“The plan includes 54 projects focusing mainly on upgrading or developing the new public infrastructure, including the installation of high-mast lights, rehabilitation of steel pipes, network renewals, upgrading of the water network, and roads construction,” she said.
Commissioner Street would be renamed Albertina Sisulu Street, after the ANC Struggle icon, Mokonyane announced.
FINANCIAL MISCONDUCT
Nine doctors from the Leratong, Sebokeng and Pholosong hospitals were facing fraud charges, and the province was probing 150 cases ranging from procurement irregularities and financial misconduct to fraud.
HEALTH SECTOR
Mokonyane announced that Health and Social Development MEC Ntombi Mekgwe would now be responsible only for health in Gauteng. The social development portfolio would be shifted to another MEC.
IMPROVING HOSPITALS
Mokonyane promised to improve the administration of local hospitals, including the recovery of R1.4bn owed to Gauteng by the provincial governments of North West, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the national government.
WINNING THE AIDS WAR
“We are making strides in winning the war against HIV / AIDS. Access to antiretroviral treatment increased dramatically from just 270 000 people in 2009/10 to close to 600 000 in 2011/12.
“In 2012/13 we will increase this to 1 million people.”
BIG DROP IN CRIME
All the priority crimes had declined, and police statistics showed that “murder in Gauteng has declined by 16 percent since 2007. Car and truck hijacking declined by 20.5 percent and 30 percent respectively while residential and non-residential robberies dropped by 12.5 percent and 12.9 percent respectively between 2010 and 2011.”
EMPLOYMENT INCREASE
Mokonyane announced a job increase of 4.1 percent for local residents. She said a total of 132 000 people had secured employment.
“While this is not sufficient to address current employment levels, the upward trend is encouraging,” the premier added.