It was reported today that Gauteng Premier David Makhura is planning three new cities in the province.
The premier would not divulge the exact location of the cities but indicated that it would be on the West Rand and in Sedibeng. Makhura said he did not want to reveal the location because he feared that it would be swamped by developers who would later ask inflated buy-out prices.
It is believed that an announcement would be made in 2015.
“By that time, we would have solved issues of land and who would be investing [in the project],” Makhura said.
“With regard to building new human settlements and new cities, we have now completed a plan in conjunction with municipalities on where we are going to build new mega human settlements over the next five years. This Gauteng Human Settlement Plan will direct investments in bulk infrastructure and will also shape our public transport and economic development plans.”
In the meanwhile the DA has criticised the premier’s plans.
“Gauteng premier David Makhura is gravely mistaken by claiming that the establishment of new cities in the province would be easier by merging small municipalities into metros. According to reports, mergers would greatly reduce bureaucratic processes for the premier’s planned mega human settlement projects in the West Rand and Sedibeng district municipalities,” says Mike Moriarty, the DA’s MPL Gauteng Shadow MEC for Finance.
“Clearly, the premier is incorrect in his assumption, as experience has shown that large metropolitan municipalities regularly struggle to properly manage their finances and to deliver basic services. All three of the province’s existing metros struggle to get their billing systems rectified.
“Furthermore, trends in rural provinces have shown how large municipalities fail to provide services to small towns and communities, and those furthest away from the administrative seat receive the least amount of attention.
“The question that needs to be asked is whether the drive to create cities across municipal borders is merely a smokescreen to justify merging the DA-controlled Midvaal municipality with the Emfuleni local municipality,” says Moriarty.
