WE’VE CREATED JOBS, SAYS DA
The DA’S Kwazulu-natal premier candidate Chris Pappas commemorated Workers’ Day by highlighting the impact bolstering tourism has had on employment in the region.
Addressing the gathering at Howick Falls last Wednesday, Pappas said the significant increase in visitors to the Howick Falls is due, in no small part, to the Democratic Alliance (DA) running the umngeni Municipality.
“When the DA first took control of the municipality, there were numerous complaints of the falls being littered with condoms and bottles,” Pappas said.
He said the park is now clean, equipped with security cameras, and has Wi-fi in some areas so that people can contact friends and family if they need to. The premier candidate stressed that such measures have improved tourism within the municipality and can improve tourism in the province too. He said that the improvements have resulted in increased tourism numbers.
Two businessmen present attested to what the umngeni mayor said. Darryl Naidoo, who does appliance repairs, said the changes have not been immediate or rampant, but “people are starting to see change as they are using public facilities now, and the improvements to the roads have made business operations easier.”
Ian Macfarlane said he has property that he rents out and has noticed that since the DA took over the municipality, full capacity is reached more frequently. When Pappas visited an artisan at the falls, Bridget Gurere, she told him that she would like to see more buses dropping people off at the falls but thanked him for making things “better”.
In addition to talking about jobs that tourism creates, Pappas said the umngeni Municipality has 32 interns who will gain experience, which will help them get permanent employment.
“When the DA first took umngeni, interns were earning R3000 and they now earn R5000 with plans in place to get them to R6000,” Pappas said.
The DA premier candidate told Village Talk that being on the campaign trail has meant that he has travelled across the province and noticed that “no matter where you go, the biggest issue that people face is [unemployment].”
“This year’s Workers’ Day is not a celebration of workers, but an acknowledgment of the need to create employment for people,” he said.
Pappas said he was at Howick Falls to show people that, in under three years, “this is what [the DA] has done in umngeni and this is what can be done in the [KZN].
“There is still room for improvement but in a short space of time we have managed to get tourists back to the area.”
When asked about being interviewed on the first day of election month, Pappas said he was “excited” as “there is an air of hope everywhere as people realise the importance of this election and the power of their vote”.
“I think the ANC is scrambling because they know they are losing on all fronts as people begin to see through them, and this allows credible political parties prospects of being in power and saying what they can offer and do. There has to be an opportunity to change,” Pappas said.
National and provincial elections take place on May 29.