African National Congress (ANC) head of elections in Gauteng, Lebogang Maile says there’s a misconception that R1.3-billion was set aside for the Alexandra Renewal Project. The failed project has been in the spotlight since the two-week-long protest in the township north of Johannesburg.
Maile says the project, announced during former President Thabo Mbeki’s term was estimated at R1.3-billion, and that the Gauteng Provincial Government had to reprioritise its budget to fund it.
Maile says despite its shortcomings, the Project has brought some tangible developments.
“London road was expanded, there’s a school called Ekukhanyisweni, the school called Skyn, it was built through that Alex renewal project. There’s houses I think at Hlabela. Maybe the question is did the Alex renewal project do (sic) all the things it was supposed to do, and I don’t think so because they never had sufficient money. But in the last term, we then re-allocated the Alex Renewal Project to the City of Johannesburg. Ask Mashaba, he closed the project. During Park Tau’s time, it was taken to Johannesburg.”
