The City of Ekurhuleni has approved a budget adjustment to respond to the immediate needs of its communities.
The new budget was approved at a council meeting held recently.
The adjustment saw 700 matriculants receiving bursaries after the city’s bursary fund was increased from R10-million to R100-m.
Emerging businesses and non-government organisations stand to receive substantial financial aid since council also increased the grant funding from R20-m to R100-m through the adjustment.
“We have done so because we have been to our communities, we have visited all sectors of our society and we were persuaded to attend to these urgent needs,” said Ekurhuleni mayor Clr Mzwandile Masina.
Critical amongst the people’s needs was the issue of land and housing.
The City has 119 informal settlements.
Council resolved to procure strategic land parcels in order to deliver on the commitment to build 100 000 houses and 59 000 service stands.
This required the budget to be adjusted accordingly.
The procurement of land includes various land parcels in Dalpark Extension 18, Mayfield Extension 46 and Palm Ridge Extension 10 and 12.
This required R116-m plus an additional R27-m to complete the Sethokga family unit complex.
To accelerate the delivery of social housing units an additional amount of R44-m is provided in the adjustment budget.
In continuing to provide dignity to the people, the need to fast-track the sewer bulk systems, which required approximately R31-m, was also taken into account.
The mayor also indicated that it was no secret that the city recently experienced an increase in land invasions.
“It would be absurd to expect the city to fold its arms in the face of pure lawlessness, which seeks to sabotage the delivery of houses to the rightful beneficiaries,” he said.
“We have therefore sought to add R45-m to deal with security of our land.”
When this request was made, the city had already incurred R22-m for expenses in land invasions and R26-m was made available in the budget to accommodate the expenditure.
The cost incurred can therefore not be regarded as unauthorised expenditure.
The additional amount of R20-m was granted on the basis that more land invasion cases could be identified in the current financial year and will assist the city until the Land Invasion Unit is established and operational.
The budget adjustment process is transparent and inclusive of all relevant parties.
The process remains a vital opportunity to review priorities in line with realities on the ground.
Also read: Ekurhuleni shares its budget plans
City aims to make informal settlements ‘liveable’
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