JOBURG – Johannesburg’s inner city must be tackled jointly by the City, the provincial government and the private sector – as a matter of urgency!
This, according to Gauteng Premier, David Makhura, during his State of the Province Address in Randfontein on 20 February.
Makhura said Gauteng residents expected a great deal of political maturity and cooperation from their provincial and municipal government leaders.
“We embrace the fact that our province is governed by different political parties at provincial and local levels. However, we must not allow the diversity of parties to hinder the rapid implementation of programmes and projects that objectively benefit Gauteng residents,” he said.
He said his administration would work closely with all the municipalities to kick-start the economy and help create much-needed jobs.
This is in line with what Mayor Herman Mashaba hopes to see within Johannesburg before the end of his term.
Mashaba aims to align all the City’s departments toward growing the City’s economy by five per cent per annum.
Incentives like the Urban Development Zone tax incentive urges rejuvenation by investors because it reduces their taxability by 20 per cent depreciation of inner city property development costs annually for five years, instead of the normal property depreciation of five per cent.
The relationship between the premier and the mayor has been portrayed within the media as shaky.
In September last year, Mashaba said he would write to the Gauteng premier, giving the provincial government 30 days to sort out their R259 million in outstanding rates to the City.
“I have a clear message to give to Premier Makhuru and his government – from today, you will not receive free lunches from the City of Joburg any longer. Pay up or face the consequences,” Mashaba said at the time.
Source: www.joburg.org.za
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