Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, during a virtual mini-plenary of the National Assembly, said on Wednesday the department has set aside R554 million to create jobs through municipal infrastructure projects. 

Outlining the department’s budget and spending priorities, Dlamini-Zuma said they have profiled all 52 districts and metros to look at how best they can improve them. 

Following this, Nxangisa will, among others, have to address questions on how municipalities in the Free State are going to be assisted.

This includes the Free State’s Mangaung Metro Municipality, which has been placed under administration by the provincial government and downgraded twice by Moody's credit ratings agency.

Municipalities in the province are ranked among the worst Eskom defaulters, and collectively owe the power utility nearly R10 billion - with the infamous Maluti-A-Phofung alone owing more than R4 billion.

Tabling the 2020/21 mid-term budget earlier this month, MEC for Finance, Gadija Brown, announced that infrastructure development is key to the economy of the province.

OFM News