Well done – or not

There was mixed reaction from the opposition parties to Premier David Makhura’s state of the province address with the ANC praising Makhura for providing a practical outlook of where the province is, but the DA lambasting him for saying more of the same every year.

FF Plus Gauteng MPL Philip van Staden said Makhura’s call for municipalities to refrain from wasting water as they did was welcome. “This indicates that the premier listened to the FF Plus that the municipalities were wasting water,” Van Staden said.

Makhura’s statement that e-tolls clearly did not work was also in line with the party’s long-held view that the system was not feasible and had to be stopped. “It shows that the FF Plus was right all along on e-tolls,” Van Staden said.

The premier’s commitment to fight crime and his recognition that farm killings were a problem in Gauteng was welcomed.

“As the Freedom Front Plus, we are putting together a plan on how to fight crime in Gauteng.

“On the Life Esidimeni issue we are concerned that the premier accepted responsibility for the matter but failed to resign,” Van Staden said.

The ANC Gauteng was happy with Makhura’s announcement that he, the MECs and senior officials would be subjected to lifestyle audits.

“This must extend to public servants – particularly those in the supply chain and procurement in all spheres of government.”

The DA’s Jack Bloom said the party welcomed Makhura’s decision to take full responsibility about Life Esidimeni but the government officials responsible for the tragedy must be brought to trial, convicted and imprisoned.

It shows that the FF Plus was right all along on e-tolls. Philip van Staden FF Plus Gauteng MPL