All the long distance bus operations [to the Eastern Cape and other country-wide destinations] currently taking place at the temporary facility at Langa Station, Epping will be moving to the new, custom-built facility in Philippi which was recently completed at a cost of R55 million.
The new Stock Road terminal offers excellent facilities including indoor waiting areas/ticket offices for passengers, 106 bus loading bays, ample toilets, informal trading areas and Traffic Department offices with a vehicle testing section.)
In the Western Cape the fight against poverty is a key priority and local government is in the front line in this fight. The provincial government is involved in a number of projects to capacitate and support our municipalities in the fight against poverty. One of the programmes in the Department of Local Government is the provision of infrastructure and today we witness the official opening of one of these projects.
The Consolidated Municipal Infrastructure Program (CMIP) is aimed at providing at least basic levels of services to low income households. The Primary Objective of CMIP is to provide funding to municipalities to minimise infrastructural backlogs through the provision of basic levels of infrastructure services to low income households within a period of 10 years. In the supply of infrastructure CMIP is targeting the most vulnerable communities and sectors of society such as women, youth and the disabled for job creation.
This is where CMIP's contribution is so valuable. Without basic services as supplied through municipal infrastructure, economic freedom cannot follow and without economic freedom, development and prosperity is impossible.
The much needed new infrastructure projects or the rehabilitation of current infrastructure brings true meaning to the national aim of CMIP namely "building communities through infrastructure." In the Western Cape we have gone a long way to achieve this, but we have added to the national vision by proclaiming - let us make them proud communities. This is exactly what CMIP in the Western Cape is doing.
The provincial government's commitment is to bring hope, delivery and dignity to its citizens in the next decade as echoed in the words of the Premier. In the process, we can only push back the frontiers of poverty if we bring together and focus all our resources in an integrated manner. The co-operation and partnership between the City of Cape Town with the Provincial Government of the Western Cape in this project is a sterling example of the commitment towards this ideal.
Our overarching desire is to enable all our communities to live a normal life, free of infrastructural obstacles. Today we have removed yet another obstacle with the provision of this transport interchange. The City of Cape Town is the major beneficiary of R115,6 million of our total CMIP allocation of R184 million. Therefore the City's share translates to 63%. I am therefore extremely proud to hand over a ceremonial cheque of R22 million to the City of Cape Town as the contribution from CMIP to the Mayor for this transport interchange. This project is a partnership between the provincial government of the Western Cape and the City of Cape Town. I am proud that my Department is associated with this project through the delivery of infrastructure.
