Executive mayor of Ekurhuleni Mzwandile Masina said the metro would be responding to Gauteng premier David Makhura’s call for the rapid land release programme.
“The metro will release 120 farms to our farmers, we will release 40 pieces of strategic land parcels for development for those who qualify through proper and legal means and we will release 341 council-owned shops that must be given to our people for them to upgrade and trade,” Masina said.
They will also release 89 sites to credible churches so that they can have land to conduct religious activity.
The metro is also availing land to the human settlements department to build, within the current term of government, 100 000 houses and provide 59 000 serviced stands.
“We have taken a firm decision as the metro that all council-owned land must be habitable, must have all social amenities and should be given to our people free of charge,” said Masina.
The mayor added that land reform must take place in an orderly and non-violent manner.
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He further said the national treasury has found Ekurhuleni to have the best management of cash resources.
Giving closing remarks during the presentation of the budget for 2018/19, at Eden Park Sports Ground, on May 24, Masina said Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City were the only other metros that had sufficient cash to pay creditors.
“Johannesburg and Tshwane will have to collect first before they can pay,” he said.
“We can pay immediately and on the spot.”
Ekurhuleni had the highest surplus with R5.2-billion in cash amongst metros.
The operating budget is R37.5-b and the capital and infrastructure budget is R6.9-b.
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