Plato’s action philosophy
After 100 days in office, mayor plans to make further strides in service delivery
MAYOR Dan Plato has celebrated 100 days in office and according to him, it has been “service delivery in action”.
He said the highlights included accepting the award for the world’s leading festival and events capital, hosting the HSBC Sevens World Rugby Tour and the World Rallycross Championships, and the Pakistan cricket team facing off against the Proteas.
“There is no doubt in my mind that it was the successful hosting of the Fifa 2010 World Cup and the City of Cape Town’s hard-working events team that capitalised on that wonderful occasion that has seen us grow as a leading events destination for the rest of the world,” the mayor said.
Plato hosted a media briefing last night at the Civic Centre where he said he was “pleased to be back in the mayoral seat”. Plato took over from Patricia de Lille in November.
He said he would host his first strategic bosberaad later this month with his mayoral committee and top management to plot their way forward.
Plato has also embarked on a wide range of discussions with various communities, including in Mitchells Plain, Elsies River, Table View, Khayelitsha, Atlantis, Parow, Eerste River, Brackenfell and Goodwood.
“I’ve listened to what they’ve had to say, looked at our budgets and, where we haven’t delivered services to the level that we should, I’ve started taking action to set things right.” Plato also touched on ongoing issues, among them Bo-Kaap. The City has opened its public participation process to declare Bo-Kaap a heritage zone, after calls intensified last year.
He also mentioned District Six. On Monday, he spoke at the 53rd anniversary of the area being declared white.
Plato also spoke about housing. He said title deed handout roadshows had been conducted in Wallacedene, Atlantis, Wesbank, Mfuleni, Bonteheuwel, Bishop Lavis, Mitchells Plain and Lavender Hill.
“I have met with the management teams, looked at our housing delivery to assess where we’ve succeeded and where we’ve fallen short, as well as what we have planned. In the next two weeks we will be sharing those plans with you in more detail, and very soon I will be announcing our revised housing strategy.”