The Western Cape department of infrastructure has allocated R1,49 billion for the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) for the 2023-’24 financial year to spend on road infrastructure, human settlements and public works.
Tertuis Simmer, Western Cape MEC of infrastructure, recently made the announcement when he and his executive management team met with the executive mayor of the Cape Winelands District Municipality, Helena von Schlicht.
R1,028 billion of the funding is allocated to 47 projects, which are in various stages of implementation in public works, education and health infrastructure. Facilities that are to be upgraded include Paarl Hospital, the Worcester Clinic and the Berg River Secondary School, among others.
According to Ntobeko Mbingeleli, spokesperson for the department, the amount that will be spent on road infrastructure over the next three years for Drakenstein is R878 million, Breede Valley is R351 million and Langeberg is R208 million. This will range from scheduled road maintenance to upgrading gravel roads to surface standards. In terms of the departement’s upgrading of informal settlements programme R9 million has be allocated to Drakenstein, R1,7 million to Breede Valley and R18 million to Langeberg.
The department has set a target of 644 houses to be built in the 2023-’24 financial year. Mbingeleli added that 320 houses at Vlakkeland are planned for Drakenstein, 200 houses at Transhex are planned for Breede Valley and 14 houses in Strydom Street in Langeberg. As part of the Western Cape Government’s response to the energy crisis the 200 units to be built in Transhex will be fitted with solar geyser panels, Mbingeleli confirmed.
General infrastructure, which includes 17 projects in Drakenstein, Breede Valley, Stellenbosch and Witzenberg amounts to R353 million. There isn’t any general infrastructure planned for Langeberg.
Von Schlicht says CWDM are grateful for the department’s release of funds so that the district municipality can better support communities by improving the local municipality’s capacity during rolling blackouts.
