R40.4 million loan allocated for the implementation of the Municipal Infrastructure Grant Pledging Programme for the electrification of households in Mbizana Municipality.
The electrification of households and provision of bulk infrastructure to ensure a constant supply of electricity in Mbizana Municipality was implemented under the Integrated National Electrification Programme (NEP). The households are in Monti, Ntlozo, Gumzama, Mqonjwana and Lugwijini villages.
Project objectives
- Eradicating the backlogs of unelectrified households
- Providing bulk infrastructure to ensure constant supply of electricity
- Improving the health of community members
- Creating temporary employment opportunities
- Alleviating poverty in the local communities
Development outcomes and measurable impacts
- 2 559 households now have access to electricity services enabled by the Eskom infrastructure
- 71 temporary job opportunities were created.
Mass Transportation System Strategy
The South African Constitution identifies the legislative responsibilities of different levels of government for airports, roads, traffic management and public transport. Transport is a function that is legislated and executed at all levels of government. The development and maintenance of an efficient and competitive transport system are key objectives of the NDP.
The long-term vision of the National Transport Master Plan (NATMAP) 2050 is to sustain South Africa’s projected growth and focus on integrated transport planning to ensure that the different modes of transport complement each other, while the Public Transport Strategy (PTS) aims at migrating transport towards an improved quality, integrated mass rapid public transport network that includes rail, taxi and bus services.
Rapid transit systems have been identified by national government as a viable transportation option that can ensure sustainable, equitable and uncongested mobility in the country. The long-term goal is to have 85% of the metropolitan cities’ population within 1km of a public transport service.
SIP 7 (Integrated Urban Space and Public Transport Programme) aims to coordinate planning, economic and social infrastructure and location into sustainable urban settlements connected by densified transport corridors. SIP 2 (Durban-Free State-Gauteng Logistics and Industrial Corridor) and SIP 7 have identified the Johannesburg-Durban high-speed passenger rail and Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network (IRPTN) in 12 cities. Phase 1 of the IRPTN entails the rollout of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems in 12 cities, as well as implementation of the taxi recapitalisation and accelerated rolling stock recovery plans for rail. To date, Johannesburg (Rea Vaya), Cape Town (MyCiti), Tshwane (A Re Yeng), Durban (GO!Durban), Ekurhuleni (Harambee) and Rustenburg (Yarona) are most advanced in the planning and implementation of their BRT systems.
The National Land Transport Act (NLTA) provides the legal framework for the development and implementation of the IRPTN by the metropolitan cities in South Africa. Furthermore, the NLTA provides the framework for
the negotiated 12-year contracts that metropolitan cities can enter into in the implementation of the BRT projects.
The DBSA’s participation
To support government’s initiatives to provide mass transport to all as encapsulated in NATMAP and PTS, the DBSA is mandated and committed to investing in public transport networks to ensure safe, efficient and green transport systems.
The DBSA has, to date, provided and/or committed to provide funding support to the following mass transportation projects:
- Tshwane BRT project (A Re Yeng)
- Ekurhuleni BRT project (Harambee)
- Gautrain rapid passenger rail project and its expansion
The DBSA provides long-term loan facilities (over 10-year tenors) with flexible availability, grace periods and amortisation profile to allow for the development and implementation of projects of this nature. All the South African BRT systems will expand in phases over the next decade and the DBSA will continue to support these until the government’s vision is achieved.