Pretoria - The Gauteng Provincial Government is to focus its attention on accelerating service delivery in 2012, says Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane.
Delivering her State of the Province Address in Mamelodi, Pretoria, on Monday, Mokonyane outlined a number of projects, saying there would be a strong emphasis on concrete, deliverable programmes.
"In the coming financial year, our endeavour will be focused on the accelerated implementation of these mega-projects that will serve as catalytic drivers of growth and development in Gauteng," she said.
The projects, located in different parts of the province, form an essential part of the integrated infrastructure development programme to promote job creation.
President Jacob Zuma, in his State of the Nation Address earlier this month, announced that South Africa would spend billions of rands over the coming years on new infrastructure, with the government to focus on building rail, road, and economic links in five regions in the country, the building of new universities and refurbishing hospitals.
Mokonyane said in the year ahead, more than R500 million would be spent on the construction and maintenance of roads in the province. The N14 and the R25 would undergo major rehabilitation.
"We will upgrade the R82 (the old Vereeniging Road) linking Johannesburg and Sedibeng as well as William Nicol Drive. The construction of the K154 will be undertaken, stimulating development in the rural parts of south Sedibeng," Mokonyane said.
As part of rural development, roads in five rural development nodes - Magaliesburg, Winterveld, Hammanskraal, Rust de Winter and Bantu Bonke - would be upgraded.
"Through the S'hambaSonke road maintenance project, we will capacitate 100 new contractors and create 6 500 jobs, benefitting co-operatives and companies owned by women, youth and people with disabilities," she said.
On health, the premier said a comprehensive turnaround strategy to improve the delivery of public health services would be implemented. The strategy would see measures put in place to prevent a recurrence of the financial difficulties in health.
"Corrective interventions include further cost containment measures, the elimination of wastage and a review of contractual obligations. We are improving systems to enhance revenue collection, overtime and fleet management and the recruitment of personnel."
From April 2012, there would be a dedicated MEC and HOD solely for the Department of Health.
The province's poorest communities will benefit directly from more than 200 community service doctors deployed in district health services and regional hospitals.
Mokonyane also touched on the G-link Project - which she said was central to efforts to build the knowledge economy as a driver of development and make Gauteng a "smart province".
The project aims at achieving 95% broadband coverage in the province to narrow the digital divide, roll out e-government services and grow the economy.
Work currently underway sought to roll out network infrastructure between 2012 and 2014.
"We are happy to announce that we will be partnering with the national Department of Communication and City of Johannesburg to develop a smart city at Nasrec in Johannesburg.
"This is a multi-disciplinary ICT development that aims to create sustainable economic activities through the use of ICT to improve the quality of life and decrease the cost of ICT," she added.
Also on the cards is the establishment of the Climate Innovation Centre and a Bio-Science Park at the Innovation Hub to help entrepreneurs to develop and commercialise green technologies that will help disadvantaged communities.
Mokonyane also touched on the Maize Triangle, which is aimed at increasing food crop productivity among small holder and subsistence farmers in Gauteng.
This would help to improve food security, reduce poverty and create jobs.
"In the coming year, we will provide 130 farmers with mechanised and technical support. Ten farmers will be provided with central storage facilities. We received 72 tractors and equipment which will be distributed to the farmers within the Maize Triangle area this month," she added.
The premier also referred to the Aerotropolis projects, which seek to grow the Gauteng economy by improving the business environment linked to airports in the province.
The first phase of the projects involves the development of a Jewellery Manufacturing Precinct, which will begin in the 2012/13 financial year.
With regards to transport, Mokonyane said construction of the Tshwane Bus Rapid Transit system was scheduled to start in 2013.
