The hall was filled with young and old residents from Tsakane, Geluksdal and Vila Lisa who wanted to hear about the proposed budget by the metro and also get the opportunity to ask questions and comment, based on the presentation.
The budget was presented by MMC for City planning and economic development, Councillor Bennett Nikani.
Nikani said the 2014/2015 operating budget is R28.9-billion and that it has increased by 4.8% compared to the 2013/2014 budget.
He explained that R4.0-bn will go to assessment rates, R11.7-bn is for electricity which he said includes fixing the street lights, refuse removal will get R1.2-bn, R1.0-bn goes to sanitation, water gets R2.8-bn, government grants will get R4.6-bn and that the remaining R3.6-bn is the budget for other income.
Nikani continued to present the needs that the residents raised to the metro during the IDP reviews in August last year.
“The metro knows the challenges facing the communities and that we want to ensure that each problem raised last year is on our list of priorities this year,” said Nikani.
Some of the needs raised by residents were having a police station and a school built in ward 85 and 99 and the upgrade of a community library in ward 83.
Talking about the development at Tsakane Extension 22, Nikani explained that the delay is the result of a power station that is built on land that does not belong to the metro.
He said only five RDP houses have been built so far and the metro is targeting to build at least 850 houses this year, starting from July.
Residents were then given a chance to ask questions or comment about the proposed budget.
Sifiso Mayisa from ward 85 appealed for more time to be given to residents to take part in the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
“Because the majority of youth in our townships are unemployed, I appeal to the metro to extend the period of these temporary jobs from two months to a minimum of one year,” said Mayisa.
Residents from ward 83 asked for the construction of a rehabilitation centre for the drugs and alcohol addicts.
Responding to the residents’ appeals, Nikani said the metro will continue to prioritise the needs of the community and work towards delivering the services to all the residents of Ekurhuleni.
