City of Cape Town rocked by crises, in-fighting

THE YEAR is at an end and soon we will be ushering in 2018. It has been an eventful year in South African politics, not least in the DA-run City of Cape Town.

Cape Town is the DA’s flagship, the only major city where the party is in the majority and rules without a coalition, and if it is to set an example for other metros, it has to get its house in order.

But the city has been rocked by crises, ranging from allegations of mismanagement to leadership squabbles which have threatened the tenure of the mayor, Patricia de Lille.

A few days into the year, De Lille announced her resignation as the leader of the DA in the province to “focus” on service delivery and to ensure the implementation of the Organisational Development and Transformation Plan (ODTP).

Those in the know blamed party infighting for the move.

But De Lille maintained that her mission was to transform the city – marked by huge inequalities – and make some accusing the city of dragging its feet in its response to earlier warnings, while others warned the city not to put the blame on the poor but to look at the usage of the rich.

De Lille and her executive team also blamed the national government for not allocating enough resources or moving efficiently to manage the situation. Salt River and Woodstock, was heavily criticised by human rights and social justice groups which largely remain sceptical of the city’s plans to provide affordable social housing closer to the nodes of economy and make the city more inclusive. it inclusive. Key issues that have faced the city include the ongoing drought which has contributed to water shortages, housing, boosting tourism and tackling transport needs.

In a few months, Cape Town may reach “Day Zero” – the day on which the city’s taps run dry and residents have to collect water with buckets from Cape Town’s beauty, the designated points. iconic Table Mountain, wine

For consecutive years, the farms and the beaches make city has been hit hard by a Water is not the only basic the city one of the top destinasevere drought, leading to service that the city has to tions for visitors domestic and water shortages. deliver to residents. There is international. The number of

Despite efforts to encourage also housing, particularly for visitors has risen each year, residents to save water, some the poor, the majority who bringing huge economic beneignored the pleas,fits.forcingthevotedtheDAintopower. city to target the culprits, and Some have been waiting for Recently, a collaboration in some cases, install water houses for more than 20 years agreement was signed with devices to curb high water and the backlog keeps rising. Airbnb, which will see both usage. The city’s solution has been to parties working together to

Next month level 6 water put poor people in what it calls promote the benefits of peoplerestrictions will come into Temporary Relocation Areas, to- people tourism for Cape effect and households who use which resemble army camps, Town residents and their commore than 10.5 kilolitres per ringed by fences, and where munities. month will have water managedrug use and crime are the It will also help promote ment devices fitted. order of the day. Cape Town across the world

But even the water issue The city announced plans to as a unique travel destination. became political. move some of these families to There are 17 600 active list

At every council meeting, appropriate housing in future. ings on Airbnb in the city and the water crisis was high on But its response to the eviction hosts have earned a combined the agenda and opposition parof some families from workincome of R762 million over ties shared their views, with ing class suburbs, including the past 12 months.

No sooner had the council begun its business for the year than the squabbles within the DA’s caucus started. These spilled into the open when executive member JP Smith levelled accusations against the mayor over security improvements at her residence. This followed the closing down of a security unit under Smith’s control.

This was followed by other allegations of mismanagement against senior officials in the transport division, which involved a third party responsible for fare collection for MyCiTi buses.

Another complaint being probed by the Public Protector’s office seeks answers to a tender in the Water and Sanitation department and the complainant highlights a number of irregularities.The city has yet to take action, apart from saying it is investigating the irregularities, which run into millions of rand.

But all eyes in the new year will be on whether the DA will keep De Lille as mayor or put someone else in the hot seat.