Terwyl die President droom, word Suid-Afrikaners se drome verpletter

Issued by Jacques Julius MP – DA Deputy Chief Whip
25 Jun 2019 in Speeches

The following speech was delivered in Parliament’s debate of the 2019 State of the Nation Address.

Madam Speaker, Mr. President, members, South Africans

Laat my toe om ons mense te herinner van `n bekende gesegde wat lei, “Die lewe is `n droom, maar om te droom is geen lewe.” deur Constantijn Huygens.

Speaker, dienslewering in plaaslike en provinsiale regerings is waar die meeste mense se drome waar gemaak moet word. Dit is die drome na `n veilige omgewing, skoon water in hul huise, kragvoorsiening wat bekostigbaar en stabiel is, amptenare wat eerlik, betroubaar en hardwerkend is.

Terwyl die President droom, gaan al meer mense ongelukkig gebuk onder ‘n voortdurende toename in swak dienslewering en korrupsie op plaaslike regeringsvlak.

Terwyl die President droom word mense se drome verpletter as gevolg van korrupsie en politici wat daar is om hulself te verryk ten koste van die mense wat hulle moet dien.

Wat vir die President `n wonderlike droom is, is vir die mense daar buite `n aaklige nagmerrie. Hulle droom vanaf 1994 en is nou moeg vir drome – hulle wil aksie sien. Die mense voel dat na 25 jaar kan ons nie meer droom vir basiese dienste wat jare gelede alreeds moes gebeur het nie.

Speaker, one of the most progressive ways to root out corruption in local government is by conducting lifestyle audits to test whether politicians and officials in this sphere of government live according to their income. The President made promises of starting the process of conducting lifestyle audits in 2018 already. We are still waiting, while the President is dreaming.

I am proud to remind South Africans that in the very progressive and transparent DA-run Western Cape Provincial Government, MEC’s under the leadership of the capable Premier Alan Winde already agreed to undergo lifestyle audits at the start and end of their tenure in public office. These are political office bearers that understand that they are there to serve the people and not fill their own pockets with the people’s money like most ANC politicians do.

The President failed to mention how the people in informal settlements and rural areas will be provided with greater access to clean running water in their homes.  There are people that are still using bucket toilets.  This, while the President boldly announced a bullet train and a dream city.

This flies in the face of people who have been waiting for years to get a home they can call their own. This flies in the face of the people of Alexandra who are still waiting for the promised renewal of their township where billions of rands were squandered by corrupt ANC politicians in local government and the province.

When will the nightmare end for the people of the Alex? I commend Mayor Herman Mashaba for committing to get behind the real story of Alex and improve the lives of our people.

Speaker, die rede waarom die DA beheerde Wes-Kaapse regering die laagste werkloosheid syfer in Suid-Afrika het met 14 persentasie punte laer as die nasionale syfer ,waar die helfte van werke wat in Suid-Afrika geskep is tussen K3 2017en K3 2018, waarom 82% van die 2018 Wes Kaapse begroting bestee is aan dienste vir die armes, waarom 91,5% van huishoudings 30 minute  van die naaste gesongheidsorg fasiliteit woon, is omdat DA regerings verstaan dat die mense se geld op die mense bestee moet word en nie op hulself nie.

Die redes is dat DA openbare verteenwoordigers voorstaanders is van deursigtigheid en daarom stem hulle in om leefstyl oudits te ondergaan.

There is a reason why despite a depressed economic and governance environment, DA-led governments are always a step ahead. Why  99% of Western Cape residents have access to piped water, 97% have access to electricity and 98% to waste removal.

There is a reason why people in the Western Cape can expect to live longer. There is a reason why this province run by the DA boasts with a 72% success rate of all land reform projects – the best in the country. There is a reason why in 2018/19, this DA run provinces` municipalities received an impressive 83% clean audits – again the best in the country. What might be the reasons for this excellent governance track record?

Speaker, another reason is that the DA is proudly led by a united team with an impressive, young, energetic knowledgeable, decisive, and incorruptible dynamic leader, Mmusi Maimane.

Thank you