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Johannesburg - Tshwane's cash reserves are in good health, mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa said on Thursday.
"The cash position of the city has also continued to strengthen," he said in his state-of-the-city address at the Pretoria city hall.
"This is demonstrated by the phenomenal growth of the city's year-end cash closing balances, which has risen from R69m in 2009 to a closing balance of R650m in 2012."
Ramokgopa attributed this to financial prudence and austerity measures. Previously there had been reports the city's finances were in dire straits. The administration was accused of facing bankruptcy after salaries could not be paid on time in January. The incident was later blamed on a fault by a service provider.
The mayor said their service delivery programme would focus on poverty, unemployment and inequality.
The Democratic Alliance welcomed the mayor's plans, but said the address lacked new ideas.
"(We are) concerned that this was another lip service exercise that will not amount to much in practice. Much of what was said... was also said a year ago at the same occasion. This was just a repeat of empty promises of the past," DA leader in the Tshwane caucus, Jan Boshoff, said in a statement.
Ramokgopa told the gathering the city was hiring more staff to help promote good governance.
"Moving forward, we undertake to comprehensively attend to all human capital needs by filling every single vacancy to further expand the implementation capacity of the city administration," he said.
The mayor intended implementing programmes to make the city more energy-efficient.
"We will invest approximately R50m towards greening programmes within our townships and informal settlements."
