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Public Works, Roads, and Infrastructure MEC Tonny Rachoene demands clean governance

Public Works, Roads, and Infrastructure MEC Tonny Rachoene.


One of the most decorated politician who is not a powermonger intoxicated by bluelights and bodyguards, Public Works, Roads, and Infrastructure MEC Tonny Rachoene has made it clear that he will not tolerate laziness, entitlement and corruption under his administration.


A consummate leader Rachoene said this when delivering his department’s 2024/2025 Vote 09 Budget Speech at the Limpopo Legislature on Thursday morning.  He announced that the allocation for the Department of Public Works, Roads, and Infrastructure for 2024/25 financial year is R5.272 billion.

The allocation is distributed as follows: •Programme 1: Administration – R 458 million •Programme 2: Infrastructure Operations – R 1.053 billion •Programme 3: EPWP – R74 million •Programme 4: Road Infrastructure – R3.647 billion.

“I am looking forward to work jointly with the portfolio committee on Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure as chaired by Honourable Khathu Netshifhefhe, as well as the Standing Committee on Public Accounts Honourable Ester Mokoele and the office of the Auditor General of South Africa and other Chapter 9 institutions as we work towards delivering quality services to the people of Limpopo,” said the MEC who is also the ANCYL Provincial Chairperson.


Rachoene confirmed that his department has been improving expenditure over the years, having moved from overall 89% expenditure in 2019/20 Financial year and 97% in the 2022/23 FY.  He also added that in the 2023/24 financial year, the department spent 97% of the allocated budget, and we are confident that expenditure in the 2024/25 financial year will continue to be on an upward trajectory.

“We must intensify our efforts to build rural bridges in Welisizwe to provide accessibility to communities that are often cut off from the rest of the world during rainy seasons. The safety of communities and learners, especially during the rainy season. It is in the provincial interest to attract investment, as we learn from our work in the province. Fellow citizens, the struggle for socio-economic transformation remains essential to realizing a truly non-racial, non-gendered and prosperous society. High levels of unemployment and poverty require our resolute efforts, focused on decisive and practical interventions,” Rachoene added.

“This requires the engagement of all stakeholders, especially government, public servants, the private sector and civil society. The seventh administration is better placed to ensure that all this is realized. The ANC-led government has a brighter future with our people, to renew our vows to be in selfless service to serve the people of Limpopo.”

 

He warned perpetrators who have hijacked government buildings in Limpopo to desist from such tendencies. Rachoene said he will leave no stone unturned and will act decisively without trepidation.

 “Several cases of hijacked properties have been reported to the police as we work towards enforcement of the law through evictions. The province is losing millions in revenue to criminals, due to this practice and this cannot be allowed to continue. Plans are in place to recover what is in illegal hands as we work together with other state organs. We reiterate the call by our Honourable Premier to all who know they are occupying government assets to peacefully vacate before we get to you,” MEC Rachoene cautioned.

“This also speaks true to what needs to be done in relation to government properties. I have as part of my 100 days in office instructed the Department to attend to issues concerning illegally occupied government land and buildings as we work towards launching Operation Vhuyisa Thundu dza Muvhuso. I welcome the Premier’s pronouncement on this matter which prompts us to reclaim our mandate as the Landlord of the Provincial Government.”

 

He also promised to create more jobs in Limpopo known as The Garden of Eden with projects like Dikgerekgere and the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).

“On Job creation, it is important for the department as the coordinator of EPWP to drive the exploration of work opportunities, through the implementing bodies, opportunities that are of high value and can lead to absorption of beneficiaries by industries. It is important that as we recruit into the programme to impart skills to our people and also a clear exit strategy. Next month, we will be launching the phase 5 of EPWP and also celebrating 20 years of the existence of this key government initiative, which contributes to government policy priorities in terms of decent work and sustainable livelihoods, education, health, rural development, food security and land reform,” Rachoene undertook.

“The recently launched Dikgerekgere Wednesday service delivery initiative which is aimed at making our gravel roads drivable is well in progress. This service delivery initiative is about the full utilization of government owned earth moving-heavy machinery to blade and re-gravel roads in the province as part of showcasing the capacity of the department to do work in house. The department currently has about 532 yellow fleet to discharge work on the ground. This then compels the department to fast-track the appointment of staff members who operate these machines that are deployed in our 36 cost centers across the province.”


He also expressed his disgust Road Agency Limpopo (RAL) which milked the State purse without accelerating and delivering on its mandate under the leadership of its former board chairperson Matome Ralebipi which RAL had an over commitment of projects of about R355 million. Rachoene committed to establish a new board which consist on consummate leaders and professionals who will revitalise RAL and not pursue egocentricities tendencies.

 “As the shareholder of the roads implementing agency of the Department, RAL, I have used the opportunity of my first days in office, to look at the work done and related expenditures. It was a grave concern to me, to find that RAL had an overcommitment of projects of about R355 million, which might even be underestimated. This could be a classic case of committing projects linked to budget that we do not necessarily have and the problem with this act is that it gives the public the impression that government, or this department has “stolen” monies meant for the upgrades of roads, thereby tarnishing the image of the province and its leadership. To this effect, we are in the process of setting up a new board for the purpose of taking the work done by RAL forward. We will be putting out an advert to recruit interested and reputable individuals to apply for consideration for appointment, as we work towards establishing a new board of directors for the entity,” said MEC Rachoene.


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