MEMBERS of at least seven portfolio committees of the Bhisho legislature are visiting Joe Gqabi district from today, as part of their oversight programme.
Legislature spokeswoman Bulelwa Ganyaza said the members of provincial legislature (MPLs) would visit schools, hospitals and government-funded projects around the area.
The district covers areas such as Maclear, Sterkspruit, Barkley East, Ugie, Herschel, Steynsberg as well as Aliwal North.
The Daily Dispatch has reported several times on the poor state of the Aliwal Spa in Aliwal North, in which the Bhisho government has injected millions of rands to make it a viable prime tourists attraction in the area.
Ganyaza said the economic development portfolio committee would be visiting Aliwal Spa at 2pm today.
The visit will be preceded by a visit to Masizame bakery in Steynsberg and JL de Bruin recreational centre in Burgersdorp – a resort which offers self-catering chalets, camp sites as well as barbeque facilities.
The Aliwal North-based Walter Sisulu local municipality (formed after the merger of Gariep and Maletswai) is one of four Eastern Cape municipalities which received a R15-million bail-out from the provincial treasury last December, after Eskom gave the four an ultimatum to pay their electricity bills or have a “black Christmas”.
Another issue in the area is the Soul City Housing development for which a councillor from then Maletswai municipality was arrested and released on bail after she allegedly sold a government funded low-cost house to an undercover Hawks police officer.
Committees which will undertake the three day visit, which ends on Friday, are agriculture, economic development, education, health, human settlements, roads and public works as well as social development.
Ganyaza said the health portfolio committee would visit several hospitals including in Burgersdorp, Steynsburg, Aliwal North, Jamestown, Taylor Bequest as well as Lady Grey and Barkley East. — zgeorge@disaptch.co.za
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