Local problems will hand metro to DA -- Trollip
Mayoral candidate says voters tired of chaos
A GRAPH depicting a ship in the ANC colours dropping rapidly and a blue plane steadily rising are probably what makes Athol Trollip certain that, come August 3, he will be the mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay metro municipality.
Trollip put his head on the block during an interview with the Sunday Times this week, saying there was no way the ANC would regain the votes it had lost in the past two elections.
“The ANC has been on a downward trend and it is very difficult to reverse that trend, especially against the backdrop of their service delivery record,” said Trollip, the DA’s mayoral candidate for the metro, citing one of the foremost reasons he believes the DA will take over.
A lack of jobs, indignity as a result of poor service delivery, and the dire housing situation are what he believes have been the key ANC failures in the city.
That is, he quickly pointed out, aside from the maladministration and corruption in the municipality.
“There have been six mayors and six municipal managers in 15 years, when there should have been only three . . . This shows the chaos the ANC is in,” said Trollip.
The ANC controls 51% of the council, and in the 2014 general elections its support declined to 48. 81%.
Despite declining support for the ANC, Trollip said the DA could not entirely rely on trends. “We rely on hard work. On going door to door.”
He has been at it since September last year — an election campaign that will last 11 months, the longest one yet for the DA.
Trollip’s campaigning is now almost robotic, with four months to go before the elections.
He has a team of about 100 people working full time on his campaign alone — besides supporters and activists doing their bit.
Trollip said he was not afraid his campaign might lose momentum before the elections.
The ANC began its campaign in the city only this week, with the launch of its manifesto.
“It is only going to get intensified,” Trollip said. “We have finalised our candidate lists and we are launching our manifesto next week. After that we will be in full swing.”
Statistics and figures rolled off Trollip’s tongue as he argued why the ANC stood no chance in the city.
“I have visited 60 wards in 60 days. I don’t think [incumbent mayor] Danny Jordaan has visited 60 wards since he was appointed,” Trollip said.
He spoke of 30 000 bucket toilets still in use in the metro.
“That is 30% of the bucket toilets in the entire country.”
Then there is the 47.3% youth unemployment figure that Trollip believes is a contributing factor to the socioeconomic problems plaguing Nelson Mandela Bay, such as gangsterism and drug abuse.
He does not blink when asked how he aims to deal with youth unemployment — a major challenge across the country.
“Tourism,” Trollip said. “We have to make this city a tourism destination, not a transit lounge. The tourism figures in this city are pathetic.”
On education, Trollip painted a ghastly picture of the decline in the matric pass rate, especially among the coloured community, with the pass rate dropping by 20% last year.
The aspirant mayor rarely refers to national issues and scandals when trying to make a case against the ANC.
He never mentioned the Nkandla debacle — a common electioneering reference point for other DA leaders.
Trollip said simple things such as refuse collection were what mattered in local government elections.
“We have to give people dignity,” he said.
In its election campaign, the ANC said it was not afraid of the DA but was afraid of independent councillors taking wards away from the party.
Trollip said this did not faze him, as a vote against the ANC was a vote in his favour.
He does not entertain suggestions that the DA will be able to govern only through a coalition with smaller parties and independent councillors.
Earlier this week, he said he could not speak with authority about any coalition talks with the United Front — an organisation formed out of expelled Cosatu affiliate the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa.
“For now we are contesting to win outright,” said Trollip.
❛ ANC has been on downward trend and it is difficult to reverse that
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