By Thapelo Molefe
Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi reflected on his first 100 days in office at a media briefing in Midrand on Wednesday and promised accelerated service delivery in the province with a strong focus on infrastructure development, healthcare improvement and economic development.
“We are building on the foundation we have established,” Lesufi said, adding that the Gauteng Government of Provincial Unity was committed to improving the lives of residents of in the province, townships, informal settlements, hostels, and cities.
“Our goal is to improve living conditions, lay the groundwork for economic activity, and bring essential opportunities for both individuals and businesses in our province.”
The ANC failed to secure a majority in the province during the recent national elections, obtaining only 34% of the vote in Gauteng.
As a result, the provincial executive was made up of members from various political parties, forming a Government of Provincial Unity.
The political parties represented in the provincial executive council include the ANC, the Inkatha Freedom Party, Rise Mzansi, and the Patriotic Alliance.
Reflecting on the last 100 days, Lesufi said energy crisis remained a top priority for government, adding that his administration was focused on addressing power shortages and ensuring long-term energy sustainability through investments in solar, battery storage, and other alternative energy sources.
“We are committed to develop a sustainable energy mix including investing in alternative energy sources such as solar, battery storage, microgrids, PV, waste to energy, gas to power and green hydrogen,” said Lesufi.
“We will continue to invest in the replacement of damaged transformers in our areas to ensure access to electricity to all residents.”
Some of the milestones to date include the installation of rooftop solar and energy storage at 28 health facilities and five schools of specialisation have been equipped with alternative energy solutions to ensure uninterrupted service during power outages, said Lesufi.
To revitalize the Johannesburg CBD, Lesufi said the administration has reclaimed 12 hijacked buildings and will soon host a summit to attract investors.
“In the next few days, we will host a summit with potential investors who are willing to invest in the Johannesburg CBD,” said Lesufi.
“The City of Johannesburg has successfully been awarded court judgements to reclaim 12 hijacked buildings. We are pleased that the Khampepe commission is currently receiving representations on how to reclaim hijacked buildings and we are looking forward to their final report at the end of January 2025.”
On water security, Lesufi said the province launched a dashboard to track usage and repairs, collaborating with municipalities to tackle illegal connections.
Additionally, a high-speed rail link with Limpopo is under discussion to promote regional economic growth.
Lesufi said at the beginning of October, his administration convened a meeting with the Limpopo Provincial Government to advance plans for the proposed high-speed rail network linking the two provinces.
He said the meeting also started a process for the nomination and appointment of a joint project manager, confirmed the cost-sharing mechanism, and proposed the budget for the feasibility study.
“This will have substantial commercial and economic benefits for both provinces, including reduced travel times, improved trade routes, and accelerated regional development. During the phases of project development, we will investigate a joint funding model,” said Lesufi.
“This project will position both Limpopo and Gauteng as pivotal economic hubs, facilitating seamless travel for businesses, commuters, and tourists. We expect this project to attract investment, open new markets, and support the growth of businesses across various sectors by enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of travel between cities.”
The cost of the new Gauteng-Limpopo railway has not yet been disclosed, and the National Treasury must approve the project before a tender can be issued.
However, Lesufi has previously announced that two institutions—one local and one based in China—are already prepared to provide financial backing.
According to a recent video released by the ANC’s Limpopo branch, the Gauteng-Limpopo Rail Link Project will incorporate sections of the existing north-south corridor and will be constructed in two phases.
Once the high-speed network is completed, it will connect the towns and cities of Pretoria, Hammanskraal, Bela-Bela, Mokopane, Polokwane, Louis Trichardt, and Musina.
Lesufi added that the provincial government was committed to working with all law enforcement agencies to ensure a safer festive season in Gauteng.
There is going to be heightened police visibility aimed at preventing, combating and at the same time, countering serious and violent crime during the holiday season and beyond to ensure residents, holidaymakers and businesses operating in the province are and feel
safe during and beyond the festive season, said Lesufi.
“Some of the interventions that we have put in place to fight crime include employing more than 13 000 Gauteng Traffic Wardens to fight crime in the streets of Gauteng and we have a fully operational interim command centre, helicopters and panic buttons that are readily available to be downloaded on smartphones by residents. In addition, we have more than 6,000 CCTV cameras up and running. We have three helicopters available to strengthens our efforts to curb crime this festive season,” he said.
INSIDE POLITICS
