DA metros ‘on the mend’
Maimane paints picture of improvement – but not all substantiated
THE DA has made strides in clamping down on corruption and maladministration, and is delivering basic services in metros under its control with the help of its coalition partners.
This was the boast of party leader Mmusi Maimane, speaking yesterday at Jabavu Library in Johannesburg, where he reflected on the DA’s year in government.
Following last year’s local government elections, coalition governments led by the DA took over the City of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay while the party retained the City of Cape Town.
Joined by Cape Town mayor Patricia De Lille, Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba, Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga and Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip, Maimane said: “When DA-led governments assumed office in the metros of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay in August last year, they were faced with the mammoth task of turning around cities that were besieged with ANC corruption and maladministration on almost every level.
“The ANC had – for over two decades – run these administrations into the ground.
“They had become hotbeds of corruption and looting under the ANC, and were in financial and administrative disarray.”
Turning to Nelson Mandela Bay, Maimane said the DA-led coalition had stopped the abuse of public funds on questionable contracts.
“We then discovered a contract worth R22-million with Mohlaleng Media which duplicated the work of municipal staff and predictably delivered negligible outcomes.”
He said in the new administration’s first budget, it had allocated 90% of the budget to previously disadvantaged areas.
On the establishment of the metro police force, Maimane said: “This world-class service consists of 114 well-trained officers, with satellite offices in Bethelsdorp and KwaNobuhle.
“The fight against crime in Nelson Mandela Bay is well under way.”
He said Trollip would establish a jobs desk in his office to facilitate municipal bursaries.
“Lastly, the mayor took significant steps to reverse the ANC’s status quo of ‘government first, citizens last’.
“The use of blue lights in the city was stopped, all domestic business-class travel for politicians was banned, and an anticorruption hotline was launched to root out corruption in government.”
Maimane made other claims in his statement, some of which however, could not be substantiated. They include:
ý Maimane: “12 000 informal households are in the process of receiving running water and sanitation for the first time.”
– It is unclear where the figure of 12 000 comes from as the current 2017-18 budget provided for just more than R200-million for human settlements services, which would only be enough for about 3 500 sites;
ý Maimane: “The city’s capex rate is at 93%, and it boasts a 93.7% revenue collection rate – the best financial position the metro has been in for over seven years.”
– While the capex figure is the highest in seven years, in the 2014-15 financial year the revenue collection rate was at 94.27%;
ý Maimane: “Thus far, the city has created 4 000 new job opportunities, ensuring that individuals are able to participate in the economy and create a meaningful life for themselves and their loved ones.”
– Chief of staff Kristoff Adelbert said that this figure was derived from the quarterly labour survey;
ý Maimane: “To ensure residents have increased potential for growth, the city will provide bursaries to 1 800 students to the total value of R34-million.”
– In partnership with the Transport Education and Training Authority (Teta), students interested in pursuing a career in the transport industry will receive bursaries; and
ý Maimane: “Operation Buyisa Isidima was launched this year, with a particular focus on fixing the housing crisis and giving people title to their homes.
This has seen the handover of more than 2 000 title deeds in a fair and transparent manner.
The project seeks to address the housing backlog – currently standing at 80 000 – and to root out corruption in the housing list process.”
– The 2 000 title deeds were handed over to people already living in RDP houses.