Implementing the National Development Plan – A Province at Work

The R1.43 billion allocated to the Drakenstein Municipality by the Western Cape Government for the 2015/16 financial year and further indicative amounts of R1.51 billion and R1.63 billion in the respective 2016/17 and 2017/18 financial years is a response to the calls of our people for jobs and improved service delivery. These allocations include both operational and capital expenditure (infrastructure) that are being incurred by the Western Cape Government within the Drakenstein Municipal Area. Our budget is therefore pro-people, pro investment, pro-poor and pro-delivery.

Effective and efficient delivery of public infrastructure must create value through the economic and social activities it supports and is critical to:

• Promote balanced economic development;
• Unlock economic opportunities;
• Address socio-economic needs;
• Promote job creation; and
• Ensure integrated human settlements and economic development.

Approximately R382 million will therefore be invested in the Drakenstein Municipality over the following three years in education, health, environment, transport and public works infrastructure projects.

• R48 million will be spent on school infrastructure which will see the practical completion of the new Wellington Primary School as well as the start of the projects which will lead to the replacement of the Dal Josophat and Ebenezer Primary Schools.
• Approximately R40.2 million makes provision for new health facilities and the refurbishment, upgrading and maintenance of existing facilities, including health technology. R31 million is allocated towards the completion of the construction of the Psychiatric Evaluation Unit at the Paarl Hospital in the current financial year.  A further R4.5 million is also allocated to the Wellington Community Day Centre to address the pharmacy needs at the site while the need to conduct feasibility studies to replace the Gouda Clinic has also been identified and feasibility studies will be initiated during this period.
• Transport infrastructure investment (R287 million over the next three years) aims to further fund the work being done to preserve surfaced roads, gravel roads and bridges. Key projects will be the rehabilitation of sections of the road between Old Paarl and Agter-Paarl, the resealing of both carriageways between Paarl and Wellington as well as sections of the road between Paarl and Malmesbury and Klapmuts and Windmeul.  The construction of a new weighbridge at Gouda which will include a service centre for the traffic management centre will also be initiated during this period. The total cost of this project is approximately R115 million.

A further amount of R257 million over the next three years has been allocated toward increasing housing opportunities and improving settlement functionality, efficiencies and resilience.  Various projects, ranging from the provision of serviced sites and housing units, will be undertaken in Paarl, Dal Josofat, Gouda, Paarl Lantana, Paarl Kingston, Paarl Drommedaris, Paarl Vlakkeland, Wellington Carterville, Paarl Fairylands, Paarl Siyahlala as well as Paarl Lover’s Lane and Chester Williams.

The overarching goal of government is to create public value which involves greater effectiveness in tackling the problems that are most important to the citizens. Taking this citizen centric approach facilitates citizens’ access to government, improves consultation and provides a people-centred approach to service delivery.

Innovative WCG initiatives to improve public value that also have a pro‑poor focus, amongst other, include:

• The RSEP/VPUU pilot programme which aims to partner with active citizens to plan and implement upgrading and safety projects in poor neighbourhoods in the Province.
• The WCG Broadband Strategy and Implementation Plan particularly the e‑Education stream which focuses on improving education outcomes in poorer schools as well as the Rural Library Connectivity Project.
• The expansion and strengthening of community based care models, e.g. community based health programmes.
• The strengthening of NGO funding-transfer models, thereby improving assurance for reporting, governance, administration and financial management.
• Key policy interventions aimed at decreasing unemployment with the emphasis on improving skill levels, providing much needed work experience and exposure via the public employment programmes and the provision of support for small and medium and micro-enterprises.
• Supporting municipalities to strengthen public participation processes.
• Facilitating access to government services through the Community Development Worker Programme, in conjunction with the Thusong Centres Programme and Mobile Thusong Outreach.

The NDP calls for active citizenry. The 2015/16 budget allocation of R1.43 billion to the Drakenstein Municipality lays the foundation for citizens to engage and access the opportunities it creates and in partnesrhip with the Western Cape Government concretizes our philosophy of Better Together.