By ZINE GOERGE and ZINGISA MVUMVU
Infrastructure in small towns such as Mt Ayliff, Port St Johns, Alice, Kirkwood and Ntabankulu will receive a major boost of more than R584-million for projects to revitalise roads, electricity, piped water and sanitation.
The projects are set to take place between April and March 2019. This was announced by provincial finance MEC Sakhumzi Somyo yesterday at the Eastern Cape Budget Speech in Bhisho.
The towns that will benefit form part of the Revitalisation of Small Town project coordinated through the office of the premier (OTP).
Somyo, during a media lockup session, described the revitalisation of small towns project as “critical”, adding that gone were the days when these towns were just outlets “where there is a post office and police station”.
Although small town economies continued to grow as a result of social grant recipients who spend their money in small economic outlets, congestion was a challenge.
He said criteria for which towns would benefit took into account the town’s potential.
Those that fitted in with the “broader economic experiments in the country overall, such as oceans economy, which means small towns that are closer to oceans need some kind of revamp and regeneration one way or the other.
“This programme (Small Town Revitalisation) aims to rekindle the Local Economic Development (LED) through the training of young professionals including the beneficiation of local business in their respective areas.”
Although not part of the project, Nkantolo village in Mbizana, the birthplace of former ANC president Oliver Tambo, is set to benefit from R70-million to upgrade the Nkantolo Road.
This is being done in preparation for the OR Tambo centenary celebrations this year.
The Daily Dispatch reported last year that R190-million had been set aside by the provincial government to build a 13km stretch of road that leads to Tambo’s home village.
The multi-million rand project from the R61 to Nkantolo got off the ground last year when Rumdel Construction started with the first phase.
Somyo also announced a R5-million injection into the department of sport, recreation.
Somyo said R75-million allocated for the Tambo Centenary celebrations included memorial lectures, an oral history conference, the OR Tambo Marathon and OR Tambo Choral Music Festival. — zineg@dispatch.co.za / zingisam@dispatch.co.za
Millions of rands to uplift smaller towns
Infrastructure in small towns such as Mt Ayliff, Port St Johns, Alice, Kirkwood and Ntabankulu will receive a major boost of more than R584-million for projects to revitalise roads, electricity, piped water and sanitation.
The projects are set to take place between April and March 2019. This was announced by provincial finance MEC Sakhumzi Somyo yesterday at the Eastern Cape Budget Speech in Bhisho.
The towns that will benefit form part of the Revitalisation of Small Town project coordinated through the office of the premier (OTP).
Somyo, during a media lockup session, described the revitalisation of small towns project as “critical”, adding that gone were the days when these towns were just outlets “where there is a post office and police station”.
Although small town economies continued to grow as a result of social grant recipients who spend their money in small economic outlets, congestion was a challenge.
He said criteria for which towns would benefit took into account the town’s potential.
Those that fitted in with the “broader economic experiments in the country overall, such as oceans economy, which means small towns that are closer to oceans need some kind of revamp and regeneration one way or the other.
“This programme (Small Town Revitalisation) aims to rekindle the Local Economic Development (LED) through the training of young professionals including the beneficiation of local business in their respective areas.”
Although not part of the project, Nkantolo village in Mbizana, the birthplace of former ANC president Oliver Tambo, is set to benefit from R70-million to upgrade the Nkantolo Road.
This is being done in preparation for the OR Tambo centenary celebrations this year.
The Daily Dispatch reported last year that R190-million had been set aside by the provincial government to build a 13km stretch of road that leads to Tambo’s home village.
The multi-million rand project from the R61 to Nkantolo got off the ground last year when Rumdel Construction started with the first phase.
Somyo also announced a R5-million injection into the department of sport, recreation.
Somyo said R75-million allocated for the Tambo Centenary celebrations included memorial lectures, an oral history conference, the OR Tambo Marathon and OR Tambo Choral Music Festival. — zineg@dispatch.co.za / zingisam@dispatch.co.za
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