By Thapelo Sakoana

Pretoria – The City of Tshwane is to electrify
112 000 houses over the next five years and ensure universal access to basic water and sanitation to all households by 2009, Mayor Gwen Ramokgopa announced.

Outlining the city’s five year plan during her inauguration ceremony at the weekend, Ramokgopa added that there were plans to eradicate all informal settlements by 2009.

Key priorities during her tenure include ensuring access to basic services, accelerating shared economic growth as well as reducing poverty and fostering clean, healthy and sustainable communities.

More than 1 500 people gathered at the Pilditch Stadium on Saturday for the announcement of the detailed plan that seeks to improve their lives.

They were told that by 2011 the backlog in roads and storm water drainage would be reduced by 25 percent across the city.

Work has already started in the northern parts of the city – especially in Hammanskraal – as part of the council’s 100 days programme, to limit the impact of heavy rains in areas that were previously affected by floods.

Ramokgopa said the council was continuing with “the foundation” laid by her predecessor Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa.

For example, 95 percent of households already had access to clean water, 75 percent to basic sanitation while 77 percent also had access to weekly refuse removal services.

Since 2000, more than R450 million had been spent on roads with over 1 000 kilometres of roads built and about 771 kilometres revamped.

“For the past five years, over 30 000 of housing units have been built and single hostels converted into affordable family units in Soshanguve, Mamelodi and Atteridgeville.

“We are further committing ourselves to developing at least 700 family units per annum at hostels,” said Ramokgopa.

In an effort to boost the economy, the city has set aside R50 million to support small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and establish 8 000 co-operatives over the next five years.

The focus areas for co-operatives would include agriculture, housing, creative industries, textile industries and environmental management, with youth and women as target groups.

Ramokgopa also noted that SMMEs contributed about 25 percent of the city’s market turnover.

To ensure safety in the city, the municipality plans to double the number of current Metro Police officers.

Presently 125 new police recruits are receiving training.

Ramokgopa said the City would also look at ways of working with other law enforcement agencies to reduce crime ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

There are also plans to contribute to mega development projects to promote Tshwane’s reputation as “the home of Jazz”, a centre of academic and research excellence as well as the automotive headquarters of the country.

“We will want every citizen in the country to identify with Tshwane as the capital city of their country and for tourists to have the urge not to go back home,” she said.

Source: BuaNews