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The redeployment of Kgosientso Ramokgopa, Gauteng’s former MEC for economic development to the investment and infrastructure unit in the presidency last year, has proved to be a blessing in disguise for the province.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura, in his state of the province address on Tuesday morning, praised the relationship his administration has since forged with the presidency, particularly Ramokgopa and the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs.
He said they have addressed the dysfunctional working relationship between the three spheres of government, which he said had hindered the rollout of bulk infrastructure in many parts of the province.
Ramokgopa was redelpoyed after he was axed from Makhura’s cabinet to make way for a woman MEC in line with the ANC’s directive of a 60/40 split in the gender parity in favour of women.
He was appointed head of the Investment and Infrastructure Office in the presidency last November.
Speaking to City Press on the eve of Makhura’s address, head of communication Thabo Masebe said:
“Ramokgopa, being the former MEC for economic development and an engineer by training, meant that he has remained interested in seeing the projects started by the provincial government come to fruition.”
He added that Ramokgopa, together with Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and the provincial government, had reached agreements on how to address the financial and regulatory impediments caused by the lack of coordinated effort by the three spheres of government.
Most affected by this had been the new cities – Lanseria, Vaal River City, the N12 and Sedibeng.
Makhura said the announcement and endorsement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of the development of the new smart city in Lanseria as well as the policy changes as a result, would ensure that many other bulk infrastructure projects would also go ahead.
“I would like to thank President Cyril Ramaphosa for his full endorsement of our work in the development of a smart city in Lanseria. This generated unparalleled private sector support. We will build a new city stretching from Lanseria [Gauteng] to Hartbeespoort Dam [in the Madibeng Local Municipality in the North West], and this will take shape during this decade.
“The financial and regulatory impediments that had delayed the start of the Vaal River development have been removed. The construction of the Vaal River City will begin during this term and a new city stretching from Vereeniging [Gauteng] to Sasolburg [in the Metsimaholo Local Municipality, Free State] will take shape during this decade,” said Makhura.
The Development Bank of Southern Africa, several provincial governments, investors and other financial institutions would find innovative ways to fund and implement the projects, Makhura said.
The province will also spend R60 billion on building and maintaining infrastructure in the next five years.
“This will contribute to the creation of an additional 100 000 jobs and facilitate the development of 50 black industrialists,” said the premier.
Masebe said more money for these bulk infrastructure projects would come from Ramakgopa’s investment and infrastructure unit in the presidency.
On the new cities, Makhura said: “In pursuit of our social cohesion agenda, these will be cities where people of different classes and income levels will call home. These will not be enclaves of privilege and social exclusion.”
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