The 2014/2015 budget for the Gauteng department of human settlements is R5 billion, human settlements MEC Jacob Mamabolo said on Tuesday.
"Of this amount, R4.4bn will go towards all housing programmes within the department and we shall ensure that this allocation translates into new hopes for the many citizens who look up to us to provide this basic need."
Mamabolo was presenting his budget vote for adoption in the Gauteng legislature.
Rapid urbanisation meant Gauteng's government was under immense pressure to provide new homes.
"We wish to make it clear that the radical transformation of the spatial landscape is our number one priority. It will result in the establishment of new post-apartheid settlements where diverse housing products are encouraged and supported within one settlement in order to bring citizens of all races and income groups together."
Mamabolo said the housing department was well placed to build a racially integrated society through the use of land and housing.
"Cities are engines of social and economic development and as a department we pride ourselves in integrated human settlement planning."
This included buying land that was well located for housing construction and providing affordable rental accommodation. More than R50 million was set aside for the procurement of well-located land parcels.
The department would continue with mixed-income housing development projects throughout Gauteng.
"Through such developments, we have been able to ensure that people with different incomes are able to live side by side without any discrimination."
He urged all qualifying South Africans, regardless of race, to apply for government subsidies.
"Part of deracialising housing in South Africa is to nullify the perception that government-subsidised houses are for black people only."
In the two months he had been in office, Mamabolo said the department took measures to address housing concerns raised before the general elections in May.
"We understand that human settlements are at the centre of service delivery as a house carries a basket of services including water, electricity and so on."
The department had been in talks with people in areas where there had been service delivery protests, including Bekkersdal, Bronkhorstspruit and Tembisa.
In Johannesburg the department had provided 53 evicted Alexandra families with shelter, and was building 91 emergency units in Marlboro for displaced families.
"[In the] Johannesburg inner city, we prevented 350 families from being evicted through a bogus eviction order. The culprit who brought this order has since been arrested," Mamabolo said.
Gauteng health budget R31.5bn
The 2014/2015 budget for the Gauteng health department is R31.5 billion, MEC Qedani Mahlangu said on Tuesday.
"The tough economic climate places an added responsibility on us to optimally use the limited resources at our disposal," she said, tabling her budget in the Gauteng legislature in Johannesburg.
Primary health care, infrastructure, quality health care, and healthy lifestyles would be some of the department's priorities for the new year.
To accelerate provision and improvement of primary health care, the department was following the Brazilian and Cuban models.
She said the department had various infrastructure projects planned from 2014 to 2019.
"The 2014/2015 health infrastructure budget is R1.7bn; of which R629 million is allocated for capital projects and R1.1bn for maintenance work," she said.
Mahlangu said the Gauteng infrastructure development department would be the sole implementing agent for the health department's projects.
She said the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital's staff accommodation, neo-natal ICU and labour wards would be refurbished.
The maternity and neo-natal lifts at the Helen Joseph, Kopanong, and Edenvale hospitals would be replaced.
Cosmos City, Kagiso, Randfontein, Khutsong, Lehae, and Randgate would receive new clinics, she said.
Mahlangu said her department had allocated R2.8bn for HIV and Aids prevention and treatment.
"We intend to reduce the rate of new HIV infections by 50 percent through implementation of a multi-sectoral response to HIV and TB," she said.
The emergency medical services would get R1bn of the 2014/2015 budget.
She said 800 additional ambulances and emergency vehicles were required because the current fleet was inadequate and ageing.
The department would negotiate and form partnerships with private companies to maximise the use of ambulances.
The department would also look into leasing models.
Mahlangu said her department would work with the private sector to determine the costs of operating health care facilities.
Democratic Alliance health spokesman Jack Bloom said the party opposed the budget because it did not meet the needs of the province's people.
He said one of the biggest problems in the provincial department was budget underspending.
"I have little confidence that the budget before us will actually be adhered to," he said.
"We lose out on money because of this department's incompetence."
Gauteng housing budget R5bn: Mamabolo
The 2014/2015 budget for the Gauteng department of human settlements is R5 billion, human settlements MEC Jacob Mamabolo said on Tuesday.
"Of this amount, R4.4bn will go towards all housing programmes within the department and we shall ensure that this allocation translates into new hopes for the many citizens who look up to us to provide this basic need."
Mamabolo was presenting his budget vote for adoption in the Gauteng legislature.
Rapid urbanisation meant Gauteng's government was under immense pressure to provide new homes.
"We wish to make it clear that the radical transformation of the spatial landscape is our number one priority. It will result in the establishment of new post-apartheid settlements where diverse housing products are encouraged and supported within one settlement in order to bring citizens of all races and income groups together."
Mamabolo said the housing department was well placed to build a racially integrated society through the use of land and housing.
"Cities are engines of social and economic development and as a department we pride ourselves in integrated human settlement planning."
This included buying land that was well located for housing construction and providing affordable rental accommodation. More than R50 million was set aside for the procurement of well-located land parcels.
The department would continue with mixed-income housing development projects throughout Gauteng.
"Through such developments, we have been able to ensure that people with different incomes are able to live side by side without any discrimination."
He urged all qualifying South Africans, regardless of race, to apply for government subsidies.
"Part of deracialising housing in South Africa is to nullify the perception that government-subsidised houses are for black people only."
In the two months he had been in office, Mamabolo said the department took measures to address housing concerns raised before the general elections in May.
"We understand that human settlements are at the centre of service delivery as a house carries a basket of services including water, electricity and so on."
The department had been in talks with people in areas where there had been service delivery protests, including Bekkersdal, Bronkhorstspruit and Tembisa.
In Johannesburg the department had provided 53 evicted Alexandra families with shelter, and was building 91 emergency units in Marlboro for displaced families.
"[In the] Johannesburg inner city, we prevented 350 families from being evicted through a bogus eviction order. The culprit who brought this order has since been arrested," Mamabolo said.
Gauteng health budget R31.5bn
The 2014/2015 budget for the Gauteng health department is R31.5 billion, MEC Qedani Mahlangu said on Tuesday.
"The tough economic climate places an added responsibility on us to optimally use the limited resources at our disposal," she said, tabling her budget in the Gauteng legislature in Johannesburg.
Primary health care, infrastructure, quality health care, and healthy lifestyles would be some of the department's priorities for the new year.
To accelerate provision and improvement of primary health care, the department was following the Brazilian and Cuban models.
She said the department had various infrastructure projects planned from 2014 to 2019.
"The 2014/2015 health infrastructure budget is R1.7bn; of which R629 million is allocated for capital projects and R1.1bn for maintenance work," she said.
Mahlangu said the Gauteng infrastructure development department would be the sole implementing agent for the health department's projects.
She said the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital's staff accommodation, neo-natal ICU and labour wards would be refurbished.
The maternity and neo-natal lifts at the Helen Joseph, Kopanong, and Edenvale hospitals would be replaced.
Cosmos City, Kagiso, Randfontein, Khutsong, Lehae, and Randgate would receive new clinics, she said.
Mahlangu said her department had allocated R2.8bn for HIV and Aids prevention and treatment.
"We intend to reduce the rate of new HIV infections by 50 percent through implementation of a multi-sectoral response to HIV and TB," she said.
The emergency medical services would get R1bn of the 2014/2015 budget.
She said 800 additional ambulances and emergency vehicles were required because the current fleet was inadequate and ageing.
The department would negotiate and form partnerships with private companies to maximise the use of ambulances.
The department would also look into leasing models.
Mahlangu said her department would work with the private sector to determine the costs of operating health care facilities.
Democratic Alliance health spokesman Jack Bloom said the party opposed the budget because it did not meet the needs of the province's people.
He said one of the biggest problems in the provincial department was budget underspending.
"I have little confidence that the budget before us will actually be adhered to," he said.
"We lose out on money because of this department's incompetence."
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