Western Cape Government to Create R832 Million in Opportunities in Breede Valley Municipality

On 26 November 2013, Premier Helen Zille and the Western Cape Cabinet visited Worcester for a Cabinet Outreach session to engage with local stakeholders in the Breede Valley Municipality. The Cabinet Outreach is a platform to provide feedback on the Western Cape Government’s progress to date on service delivery, to outline key delivery projects planned for the local region and to address queries from local stakeholders. The first session took place in the George Municipality on 15 October.

During the session, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Anton Bredell outlined that R832 million has been earmarked for 64 projects in Worcester, Rawsonville, De Doorns and Touwsrivier by all provincial government departments from 2013 to 2015.

The Western Cape has spent effectively 100% of its Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) funding since 2009 and the R 455.3 million of MIG funding spent in the 2012/2013 financial year has yielded 205 projects in such delivery areas as sanitation, roads and stormwater infrastructure, community halls, public transport, libraries and solid waste removal services.

The Western Cape’s leading performance was also highlighted in the Census 2011 report, which showed that households in the province had the best access to basic services.

Over the next two years, the Western Cape Government’s allocation of funding within the Breede Valley Municipality would include the following highlights:

• R2.9 million by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport towards museums and libraries in Worcester.
• R128.7 million for 12 projects by the Department of Human Settlements. The bulk of this would go to housing and informal settlement-upgrading projects in De Doorns, costing R77.2 million and housing and rectification projects in Worcester costing R41.3 million.
• R123 million for 21 bulk infrastructure projects including sewer and water reticulation, road rehabilitation, high-mast and street lighting installation and waste water treatment works upgrading.
• R22.6 million by the Department of Social Development for social welfare services.
• R447 million for 27 projects by the Department of Transport and Public Works including a new clinic and ambulance station in Rawsonville, a nurses’ college , a new high school in Zwelethemba, as well as upgrades, repairs and maintenance for schools and clinics.
• R108 million for bulk water supply infrastructure in Worcester.

Premier Zille emphasised the importance of understanding the role of government in assessing its performance. Broadly, this role had three aspects, she explained:

• To defend people’s rights and freedom.
• To extend opportunities for people to improve their lives.
• To provide for those who could not reasonably be expected to do so for themselves.

“Our job as the government is to make sure that everyone can use their freedom by providing opportunities. It is the government’s job to put rungs on the ladder of advancement, primarily by getting education right and promoting wellness and safety, so that people can improve their lives,” she said.