KZN to spend R12bn on infrastructure projects

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government has allocated R12.060 billion to spend on various infrastructure projects in the province during 2015/16 financial year.

“The province is budgeting to spend R12.060 billion in 2015/16, R11.804 billion in 2016/17 and R12.196 billion in 2017/18 on various infrastructure projects. This equates to R36.060 billion over the 2015/16 MTEF,” said KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Finance, Belinda Scott.

Tabling the 2015/16 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) Budget at the Provincial Legislature on Tuesday, MEC Scott said the budget includes both equitable share and conditional grant funded infrastructure.

The key infrastructure projects over the 2015/16 MTEF include transport, where the Department of Transport will spend R20.594 billion over the 2015/16 MTEF on numerous infrastructure projects.

In 2015/16, the department will continue with various construction and maintenance projects as part of Operation KuShunquthuli and the African Renaissance Roads Upgrading Programme (ARRUP), to focus on road infrastructure development in rural areas.

The Department of Health’s infrastructure budget over the 2015/16 has been allocated R4.294 billion.  This will include various projects such as a R460 million construction of new 500 beds at the regional hospital in Pixley ka Seme Hospital, and R80 million construction of new 192 bed medical ward in Ngwelezane Hospital, among others.

An amount of R6.909 billion has been allocated to the Department of Education to spend on building of new classrooms and ablutions in various districts.

The Department of Human Settlements has been allocated R9.595 billion over the 2015/16 MTEF to focus on catalytic projects, which will have a significant impact on the well-being of the target community.

MEC Scott said the projects are linked to transport routes, proximity to schools, clinics and other social facilities.

“Some of the key programmes include the Informal Settlement Upgrade Programme, the Rural housing Programme, the Emergency Housing Programme, the Integrated Residential Housing Programme, as well as the Rectification Programme and Enhanced Extended Discount Benefit Scheme (EEDBS).

“In 2015/16, the department will continue to implement these housing programmes and the outputs expected to be achieved include 23 233 housing units constructed and 14 225 beneficiaries approved,” MEC Scott told members of the provincial legislature.

The Department of Education received the largest portion of the provincial budget, while the Department of Health received the second largest portion.

The budget allocation for Education over the MTEF is R42.142 billion in 2015/2016, R44.210 billion in 2016/2017 and R46.488 billion in 2017/2018.

The budget allocation over the MTEF for the Department of Health is R32.982 billion, R34.742 billion and R36.874 billion over the 2015/16.

Source: SAnews.gov.za