The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry is to build a "coherent plan" to address problems hindering the expansion of forestry in the Eastern Cape.

It was one of several developments which Minister Buyelwa Sonjica mentioned in the policy review debate on her budget.

She said while “some progress" had been made to expand small-scale timber growing in the Eastern Cape, the process is still moving too slowly” and she wanted to see forestry expanded in this area by at least 60000 hectares.

“Another key objective of the restructuring of the forestry industry is to ensure that local communities benefited,” she added.

"Following the restructuring of plantation forests in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, the management consortia have been paying lease rentals for the use of the land. The R40 million currently held in trust, will be paid to the communities, as soon as the right distribution structures are in place."

Sonjica also added good progress had been made in transferring indigenous forests to the South African National Parks and referred to the delegation to SANParks of the management of 97 000 hectares of the Knysna forests, the jewel of South Africa's indigenous forests.

She also said government's commitment to bring development closer to the people had translated into funds for water and sanitation being consolidated in the Municipal Infrastructure Grant. From July, municipalities would receive the money from the Department of Provincial and Local Government.

“There should be enough money to meet the 2004/5 targets,” said Sonjica adding that the national government would give R4,6 billion to local authorities for investment in basic services infrastructure. At least 52 per cent of this is expected to be used to address the water supply and sanitation backlogs.

This was in addition to the funds provided by her department for committed projects