Healthy vleis, coastal upgrades along False Bay are some of the city’s priorities for this year’s budget.
This was confirmed by the City’s deputy mayor and mayoral committee member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
Andrews said the department’s budget reflects their commitment to protect natural resources to improve infrastructure along the city’s coastline, in particular those along False Bay.
The City shared that the operational budget for the new financial year starting 1 July 2022, amounts to R1,273 billion; and the capital budget is R217 million, with an additional R650 million for planned projects in 2023/24 and 2024/25.
Some of the highlights of the budget are as follows:
- R69 million for projects to improve the quality of life of communities in need – these are the Mayoral Urban Regeneration Projects residing under the Deputy Mayor
- R18,2 million for Green Jobs and the clearing of invasive plants
- R21,5 million to rehabilitate and improve the health of our vleis and wetlands
- R88 million for upgrades at Fisherman’s Lane and the Strandfontein boardwalk, Monwabisi beach, Seaforth beach, Muizenberg beachfront, Table View beachfront and Milnerton beachfront
- R7,25 million to improve online submissions of development applications and building plans
Once they’re completed, he said, they will add to the joy and improved living conditions of local communities, and promote Cape Town’s coastline as a world-class destination. “The protection of infrastructure along the coast is also becoming more critical with the impact of climate change, and subsequent unpredictable weather. Some of the projects include the rehabilitation of the sea walls at Small Bay, Strand, and the Sea Point Promenade,” he said.
He added that they made a commitment to restore the health of Cape Town’s vleis and wetlands. “This directorate alone has budgeted R21,5 million over the next three years for equipment and work to improve the water quality of our inland waterbodies.”
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Picture: Cape Town ETC gallery