Lebowakgomo – The Limpopo government will increase the number of human settlements in the fast growing towns as well as the Special Economic Zones areas of Tubatse and Musina-Makhado.
Government aims to deliver 80 000 housing units over the two financial years.
Tabling her Budget Speech in the provincial legislature in Lebowakgomo, Makoma Makhurupetje, the MEC for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA), said that both the volume and the quality of delivery across the province must be increased.
”We will ensure that our housing delivery spreads across growth towns and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) as part of the department’s endeavour to meet the target of delivering 80 000 housing opportunities by 2019,” MEC Makhurupetje said.
As declared by the Premier of Limpopo Stan Mathabatha and the Department of Trade and Industry as a special economic zone, Tubatse SEZ was allocated R40 million to be spent on housing around the area.
The MEC further said that Musina-Makhado SEZ is allocated R40 million to secure 900 sites during the 2017/2018 financial year.
“The department will also provide an additional R100 million to be spent on housing and additional land over the next three years to support envisaged growth in this SEZ,” she said.
The MEC also said additional land will be identified at the Musina and Makhado areas to dove-tail the envisaged growth and foreign direct investment (FDI) with 20 800 jobs to be created through the SEZ.
With the five municipalities having received unqualified audit in the province, the MEC said “in the coming months, we will work with the municipalities that have consistently obtained unqualified audit results to help them deal with the outstanding issues to attain a clean audit”.
Furthermore, she said in-line with the priorities of phase two of the back-to-Basics programme, the department will give special attention to municipalities receiving disclaimers.
She said in order for the department to achieve this, they will do it in partnership with the Provincial Treasury and the Auditor General.
The MEC acknowledged the high debts to Eskom and to water boards, she said that it remains a concern of the department.
“I want to make a serious call to all municipalities to pay their debts with Eskom, water boards and other service providers without fail.
“We plead with our sister departments to pay municipalities what is due to them. Municipalities as well are encouraged to clean their billing systems,” she said.
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