Transforming the City of Tshwane

Tshwane is committed to transformation. This and other positive messages emerged when Executive Mayor Councillor Kgosientso Ramokgopa delivered his State of the City Address recently.

The Mayor said low cost housing would be built within wealthy neighbourhoods, public transport would be extended to the traditionally white areas, the inner city is currently being rejuvenated and that the City had identified land at Fort Klapperkop as a site, if Parliament should move to Gauteng.

“I am saying as a City principle we remain unashamed, unapologetic in this agenda. We are confident the vast majority of the population is fully behind us across all race groups, across all ages,” said Mayor Ramokgopa.

He added that Tshwane was ideally positioned to house the legislative seat of government, saying the time was right to bring the nation together within the boundaries of a single capital.

Free Wi-Fi

Mayor Ramokgopa also shared progress on the status one of the City’s flagship projects, TshWi-Fi.

“Our free Wi-Fi project has radically undermined the adverse effects of unaffordable internet access by narrowing the hitherto glaring digital divide,” he said.

The project has the capacity able to serve over two million users across 575 sites, with a further 50 sites to be deployed by the end of the financial year.

“Over the next 18 months, Tshwane will deploy a further 1 848 sites from Bronkhorstspruit to Hammanskraal to Soshanguve to Centurion and indeed the rest of the City,” he added.

Developing townships

In just three years, 62 townships have been developed and 13 townships proclaimed through the Re Aga Tshwane programme, impacting more than 20 000 families per year and relocating approximately 11 202 families from unsuitable living conditions to better permanent housing. 

More than R676 million has also been spent on township regeneration projects through the Tsosoloso township renewal programme, the Mayor noted.

Investing in the future

He added that much had been done to develop the City’s youth. The Tshepo 10 000 programme created 508 jobs through technical opportunities. Innovation-based youth programmes such as eKasiLAB, the Youth FabLab programme and the Tshwane Innovation Zone have all been successfully launched.

Service delivery

Mayor Ramokgopa said the City continued to invest a significant amount of resources into its bulk electricity infrastructure programme.

Public lighting infrastructure has increased the level of visibility for pedestrians, motorists and the community through the installation of a total of 11 807 new street lights and 260 new high-mast lights from 2011 to date.

Good electrification progress has been made. In 2011, 79.2 percent of Tshwane residents had access to electricity and by 2015, that figure was marginally below 90 percent.

With regard to health, 98 percent of Tshwane residents have access to primary healthcare services. A total of R152.9 million was spent in the current term on expanding primary healthcare offerings.

By the end of 2014, more than 3 900 metro police officers had been deployed in local-level policing, ensuring more visible policing on the ground.