The Overberg District Municipality has been presented with the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) Infrastructure budget for the region by Provincial Minister Tertuis Simmers. The presentation session follows a successful week in which Minister Simmers and members of the Western Cape Government visited infrastructure project sites across the district.
Over the next three financial years 2023/24 – 2025/26, the Western Cape Department of Infrastructure will invest R1.8 billion. This budget will be spent on 75 projects, which constitute 5.5% of the department’s planned projects across the Western Cape. Much of the budget will be invested in roads infrastructure projects with a value of R1.48 billion. Some of these project sites will be in Draaiberg, De Hoop, Bredasdorp, and Botrivier.
In the immediate future, and in addition to the projects the department will transfer R705 000 in road maintenance subsidies to local municipalities in the 2023/24 financial year. In the current fiscal year the department intends spending R29.9 million on public works and general infrastructure. While spending R94 million towards the completion of health and education infrastructure projects, from the previous fiscal year. Through its Human Settlements branch, the department intends on investing R136.4 million. This will be towards the building of 474 houses and 629 serviced sites.
Executive Mayor of the Overberg District Municipality Mr. Andries Franken shared his views on the budget: “As a district, we welcome the transparency with which the Department of Infrastructure has approached us. The continued open communication and collaborative efforts between these two spheres of government will be of great benefit to the Overberg District. This is evident in the existing and ongoing infrastructure projects in our region, that even tourists have come to enjoy.”
At the end of his 5-day visit to the Overberg District, Minister Simmers said: “Having travelled and visited much of our roads and infrastructure projects as well as engaged various stakeholders, I am certain that with this budget we will continue to build renewed hope in this region through service delivery. The investment in various infrastructure projects will empower and contribute to the well-being of many citizens in the Overberg region.”
