DA hasn’t lived up to its promises

The DA’s 2016 election manifesto was based on three promises, namely stopping corruption, creating jobs and delivering better services.

It is now two years since the DA-led coalition has been governing the Nelson Mandela metro and it is an opportune time to assess its performance against the promises it made in the 2016 municipal elections.

Speaking during the launch of the DA election manifesto in April 2016, DA leader Mmusi Maimane said, “The DA will bring jobs to your area by attracting and supporting small businesses.”

He went on to say the DA would do this by “making your area clean and safe with affordable transport”.

Last, the DA leader promised better services, access to stable electricity and supply of water to informal settlements.

These are lofty promises that resonated well with the voters of the Nelson Mandela metro, hence that led to the DA-led coalition taking control of this local government.

The first year of the DA-led coalition was characterised largely by ugly infighting between the mayor and his then deputy mayor.

This infighting was fuelled by personal opportunism of the highest order and sadly at the expense of promised service delivery.

The second year was no different as it was characterised by numerous votes of no confidence against the mayor. The last vote of no confidence required the intervention from above as the mayor was not sure if he would see the next day in charge.

This circus painted a picture of an unstable coalition with councillors of the coalition preoccupied with exposing their personal egos, and insatiable hunger for power and greed.

While the DA leader promised “better services, access to stable electricity and supply of water for informal settlements”, the experience under the DA-led coalition is quite the opposite.

The inhumane manner in which the shacks of Wells Estate informal settlement residents were demolished is reminiscent of the brutality meted by apartheid municipal police in the 1980s.

This attack was sanctioned by Nqaba Bhanga, who endeavours to ingratiate himself with the new masters by being more zealous than his newly-found white masters against his own people.

The DA, through its leader, promised voters to make “your area clean and safe with affordable transport”.

A walk through the northern areas and African townships is anything but clean and safe as one is greeted with dumping sites of unacceptable proportions.

Clearly, the DA coalition has failed to transform townships into leafy suburbs as it promised.

On the safety and security promise the verdict is out there for all to see.

Statistics do not lie as they confirm that crime levels have increased in all parts of the metro. The much anticipated metro police have yet to make a dent in the gangsters’ paradise and drug-infested northern areas.

Where they excel is in the area of road blocks where they catch traffic offenders in an effort to increase municipal funds.

By all accounts on the promise of better services, the DA-led coalition has failed to live up to its promise.

Mzukisi Mpahlwa, member of the ANC communication sub-committee