The addressed was delivered at the Germiston Council Chambers on Wednesday.
He says that through the Siyaqhuba service delivery programme they are able to understand the realities of the plight of the people.
“The initiative is not only to address service delivery issues, but also to understand the hidden world which is infiltrating cosmopolitan development.
“Our interaction with girls as young as 12, entrapped in brothels well hidden in dilapidated buildings, has demonstrated how deep the cracks of inequality have become.
Masina says the city has, through the Health Department, managed to establish 21 chronic medicines pick up points.
“We are going to build 12 more clinics with modern facilities to serve all the needs of our people.
“We already have 94 clinics and 12 mobile clinics,” he says.
The mayor says that as part of the indigent policy programme, the city will offer free water, sanitation and refuse collection services to residents who earn less than the R 3 000 threshold.
“In December 2016, we had 63 014 residents who were deemed to be indigent.
“They all receive free basic services in the form of water, electricity, sanitation services and refuse collection as well as qualification for housing subsidies,” he says.
Masina says the city will spend R91-million in the three-year medium term period in the construction of community social amenities.
“This includes the new swimming pool in Duduza, a library in Etwatwa and the Germiston Theatre,” he says.
Masina says they are currently embarking on six mega housing projects over the next five-year period to respond to the housing and human settlement needs of our people.
“We have secured and are in the process of securing more land to enable us to provide bulk services for housing settlements like Leeuwpoort, Clayville Ext 15, John Dube and Daggafontein.
“In this financial year, the City will deliver 5 000 housing units and in the next financial year of 2017/18 the City will deliver additional 8 000 housing units.
• Read: State of the City Address 2016
The mayor says they have completed the rehabilitation of 163 kilometers of road.
“The target is to complete 197 kilometers at a budgeted cost of R325-m.
“We have set aside R270-m for upgrading 52 kilometers of road and R83-m budget for the reconstruction of 15 kilometers of road.”
“The City has set aside R663-m for the construction of new roads.
“About 49% of that expenditure will go to the far east region that covers Duduza, Tsakane, Nigel, Springs, Daveyton and Wattville,” he says.
Masina says the city has set aside a budget of R2.4-billion over the next five years for the electrification of informal settlements.
“We also have R1-b budgeted for bulk infrastructure in informal settlements.
“We have electrified 9 943 households in informal settlements in areas such as Langaville, Inxiweni, Marikana, Winnie Mandela and Ekurhuleni,” he says.
“We have placed 2 545 unemployed youth with various external companies and within the municipal departments to gain work experience.
“We recruited 100 learner contractors and 100 learner supervisors to the EPWP Vukuphile Programme.”
• Also read: Heated debate after State of the City Address
The mayor says that through the Mayor’s Education Trust, they extended bursary funding in 2016 to R100-m from R10-m in the previous year for academically qualifying students.
Masina says they have cut costs by freezing non-essential staff positions.
“We are gradually eliminating expenditure on non-essentials like travelling, accommodation and catering services,” he says.
