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“The roll-out of ward projects will ensure a further 630 work opportunities could be created in solid waste cleaning and parks maintenance projects in wards.”
Poole also said that the resilience of the Municipality is tested and affirmed continuously.
He said: “The downturn in the economy that was prevalent before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the lockdown regulations that limited economic activity and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine are just some of the factors that are causing inflation and interest rate hikes. Locally it is mostly felt with the sharp increases in fuel, cooking oil and wheat. The national fiscus is shrinking due to increased government debt, resulting in a reduction in national and provincial grants. In these trying times I urge the political leadership, senior management and staff of Drakenstein to continue working as a unit to ensure excellent service delivery.”
Poole said a renewed focus will be placed on good governance, communication and service delivery, and the role and responsibility of ward councillors. Hence, performance contracts for ward councillors will monitor and evaluate their functions as ward representatives. Furthermore, a revised management model was introduced and distributed to all councillors, clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the mayoral committee members, ward councillors and ward committees on the interaction with the community and administration.
Each ward in Drakenstein will receive R200 000 per ward, of which R30 000 is allocated to ward committee stipends and the remainder, R170 000, will be allocated to specific approved projects.
Poole made it clear in his speech that housing is a National and Provincial Government function, which is performed by the municipality on behalf of National Government with financial assistance from the national fiscus. With this in mind he said a grant allocation of R47 million was awarded to the municipality for the 2022-’23 financial year, which will be used to service sites in Fairyland, Siyahlala, Carterville and complete the planning for Mbekweni Erf 557, Saron, Paarl East and Simondium.
R57 million will be spent directly by the Provincial Government on the Vlakkeland Housing Project.
Poole said the municipality will also improve access to basic services (R3,2 million), providing services at the Schoongezicht Emergency Housing Project (R10,8 million) and maintenance of aged municipal rental stock and those damaged by fire (R3 million).
For water and sanitation services the municipality made a R31,6 million provision in the budget.
In the budget R29,9 million is allocated for electricity infrastructure projects.
The following provision has been made for waste management projects: R500 000 for purchasing street refuse bins to combat littering; R650 000 for the construction of mini drop-off facilities in high-density and informal areas to provide a disposal facility in communities; R4,5 million for the construction of organic waste diversion infrastructure to comply with new waste legislation and R2 million for the purchasing of International Organisation for Standardisation containers to transport waste between the Paarl Refuse Transfer Station and disposal facilities.
The budget includes R16,5 million for the maintenance of roads and stormwater infrastructure.
The municipality will also provide R20 million towards the upgrading of Main Road 201 to a dual carriageway between the N1 and the Kliprug Road.
In all, R9,4 million is set aside for the infrastructure of sport, parks and cemeteries and special focus will be placed on the phased development of De Kraal. The main capital projects includes the upgrading and construction of swimming pools and sport infrastructure (R6,2 million) and investing in much needed small plant tools and equipment to ensure maintenance can be done more effectively (R3 million).
The budget also makes provision for indigent households, community projects, tourism development, public safety, social development and more.
“The proposed final budget is pro-poor, supports economic and social development and ensures financial sustainability,” Poole said.
