Johannesburg’s R47 billion 2014/15 budget makes provision for significant investments in new and upgraded infrastructure as well as housing development. The budget ranks as the biggest ever delivered by a South African municipality.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Finance, Councillor Geoffrey Makhubo, delivered the city’s annual budget on Tuesday (27 May). Water infrastructure Johannesburg will invest R234.2 million in rolling out prepaid meters for water conservation and addressing water losses city wide. The upgrading of water infrastructure will continue in Driefontein, Bushkoppies, Diepsloot, Lenasia and Ennerdale. Housing The city’s housing department has been allocated a three-year capital budget of R2.6 billion. This will be used to upgrade existing informal settlements, refurbish hostels and the development of mixed-used precincts.
Capital projects provided for include the refurbishment of the Helen Joseph hostel and the provision of bulk infrastructure in Klipspruit / Kliptown, Lehae, Lufhereng, Matholesville and Sol Plaatje.
Power City Power will receive an operating budget of R13.2 billion and a multi-year capital budget of R7.3 billion. This will be allocated towards new infrastructure and the refurbishment of existing infrastructure in areas such as Riversdale, Berea, Ferndale, Lenasia and Halfway House. City Power will invest in alarm monitoring devices at substations and pylon monitoring alarms to combat vandalism and cable theft. Obsolete meters across the city will be replaced with pre-paid units and smart meters. Waste management Pikitup, Johannesburg’s waste management entity, has received R1.8 billion for its operations. These include waste management, street sweeping and the removal of illegal dumping. A waste treatment facility is being built in Diepsloot and new plant equipment for composting organic waste will be provided in Orange Farm.
