KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma has outlined his department’s spending priorities for roads, housing and public infrastructure, tabling his Budget Policy Speech in the provincial legislature on Wednesday.
Duma also visited the Copsville Housing Project in Pietermaritzburg and a housing project in Colenso as part of his departmental engagements.
Department spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya said the MEC had signalled a significant push on infrastructure delivery.
“Most importantly, the infrastructure revolution the MEC announced yesterday, indicating that we are steaming ahead as the province of KwaZulu-Natal, in particular the Department of Transport and Human Settlements, in terms of turning KwaZulu-Natal into a construction site,” Sibiya said, adding “We visited Colenso where the MEC inspected a housing project. As you know, we remain the custodian of the rollout of human settlements.”
The 10-point Infrastructure Revolution plan announced by Duma during his budget speech covers key priorities:
The department will implement a digital transport infrastructure system using cutting-edge technology to plan, build, maintain and assess road conditions. It will also use artificial intelligence to assess traffic patterns, weather data and predict potential structural issues to guide timely interventions.
Other priorities include accelerating the transition of freight movement from road to rail, halving the number of roads in very poor condition, and accelerating the pothole repair programme.
The department also plans to complete long-outstanding road construction projects, terminate contractors that are failing to perform, and blacklist contractors involved in fronting.
Further commitments include fast-tracking the entry of youth and women-owned contractors into the construction sector, establishing an emerging contractor council to coordinate support for emerging contractors, and strengthening the involvement of higher education institutions, the private sector and civil society in developing an effective public transport system.
