One year of DA governance: South Africa reacts

Exactly one year ago today South Africans went to the polls in the most historic and game-changing election since 1994.
Our young democracy witnessed its most notable shift in power, as we won three new metros in Tshwane, Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay, adding to the DA-run City of Cape Town.
Today, to mark our one year in government, we held a press conference to report back to the people of South Africa on the progress we’ve made in our metros.
See the reactions below:
https://twitter.com/_Pootie/status/893055990404460544
https://twitter.com/MrsWaphi/status/893050989862715395
https://twitter.com/Nkosi_MTee/status/893051234575405056
https://twitter.com/ChiefMnconywa/status/893059540220030976
https://twitter.com/BenySimo/status/893059187445563392
https://twitter.com/sbbalman/status/893051115029368833
https://twitter.com/firepower66/status/893049728488931328
https://twitter.com/NsQuared_I/status/893049579972825088
https://twitter.com/Preciou85104789/status/893072255118438400
https://twitter.com/vusmuziprince/status/893070314401402880
https://twitter.com/mlotshwaden/status/893095237110964226
https://twitter.com/bruna_giovanni/status/893091631527755776
We know that while much progress has been made, there is still a long way to go. We are committed to doing more and delivering more for every South African who falls under a DA-led government.
See what we’re doing in Johannesburg, Tshwane, Nelson Mandela Bay and Cape Town.
Real change is on the way. This is just the beginning!

Hands off the Treasury: Gupta-puppet Malusi Gigaba must resign!

The following speech was delivered today by DA Leader, Mmusi Maimane, at a protest outside the National Treasury Headquarters in Pretoria. The Leader was joined by Tshwane Mayor, Solly Msimanga, DA National Spokesperson, Refiloe Nt’sekhe, and DA Gauteng Leader, John Moodey.
Today we are gathered here outside the headquarters of National Treasury to send a clear message to Jacob Zuma, his ANC, and the Guptas: keep your hands off of Treasury and the people’s money!
We are here to demand that the keys to Treasury be taken back from the Guptas and be given to the people of South Africa so that our money can be spent on improving the lives of all in our nation – not just the connected few.
Fellow Democrats,
Treasury is by far the most important government department in the entire country. It is responsible for managing the country’s money – our entire R1.4 trillion national budget.
Treasury decides as to how our country’s money is spent on the people – such as building houses, roads, schools, hospitals, and creating jobs.
There are thousands of good and honest employees of Treasury who work tirelessly to ensure the right amount of money is spent, by the appropriate government departments, on the needs of our people and our country. We salute you!
We are currently in a fight for the future of South Africa. This fight is between those who are benefiting from the current corrupt system and those who believe we need to change this corrupt system totally.
I am in the latter group, and there are millions of South Africans who are standing with us.
Most patriotic South Africans inside the Treasury are doing what is right and honest, despite the enormous pressure they face. They are heroes.
Keep doing what is right and you will have the respect and support of the nation!
In the right hands and under the right leadership, Treasury has the ability to change the lives of South Africans and to allocate resources to building a better, brighter and more prosperous nation.
However, the Treasury is under siege.
Just over 100 days ago, Malusi Gigaba was appointed Minister of Finance, after Jacob Zuma swiftly fired Pravin Gordhan as he refused to allow the Guptas control over the people’s money.
It has been a long standing desire of Jacob Zuma and the Guptas to take full control of the Treasury, in order to control the flow of all public money.
That’s why back in 2014, the Guptas and Zuma planned to fire then-Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene, and replace him the ultimate “yes man” – the unknown Des Van Rooyen.
From the outset, Pravin Gordhan made it clear he was no one’s puppet. And this meant less stealing and corruption for Zuma and his cronies.
With their initial plan having failed – and costing the country’s economy billions of Rands in the process – the Guptas and Zuma resorted to “Plan B”: fire Pravin Gordhan and replace him with a proven loyalist: Malusi Gigaba.
And just over 100 days ago, Zuma and the Guptas carried out this plan. Malusi Gigaba was appointed Minister of Finance with a mandate from Saxonwold.
There was no explanation for the firing of Minister Gordhan and his Deputy, Mcebisi Jonas, other than to make way for a Gupta yes-man in Malusi Gigaba. Which is why the DA challenged this decision in court.
We asked the court to rule that President Zuma should give us his reasons and a record of his decision for firing Gordhan and Jonas, which it did. But, predictably, President Zuma missed the deadline, deciding to appeal the court decision instead. He is just playing for time, but he will not get away with it.
Fellow Democrats,
There is no question where Malusi Gigaba stands in the fight to change this corrupt system. Since 2010, when he was first appointed as a Minister in the Cabinet, Gigaba has been doing the Gupta’s bidding.
During Gigaba’s spell as Public Enterprises Minister, his main job was to capture our country’s State Owned Entities (SOEs) for the sole benefit of the Guptas. He appointed to the boards of Eskom, Denel, Prasa, and Transnet, individuals who have been shown to be closely associated with the Gupta family. These include Brian Molefe, Anoj Singh, Iqbal Sharma, Nazia Carrim, Romeo Khumalo, Mark Pamensky, Marriam Cassim, Ben Ngubane, Kuben Moodley, and Viroshni Naidoo.
This allowed Gupta-owned companies to control those SOEs and to secure many lucrative deals, ensuring the Guptas and the Zumas become rich, and the people of South Africa stay poor.
After he had shown his loyalty to the Guptas, Gigaba was moved to Home Affairs, were as Minister he rolled out the red carpet for Guptas friends, employees, business partners to easily gain citizenship and access to the country.
Gigaba fast-tracked dozens of visas to benefit Gupta businesses as they moved employees, associates and family members between South Africa, India and Dubai. And when the Guptas themselves were denied South African citizenship, guess who make sure it was granted under “exceptional circumstances” – Minister Gigupta!
This Gupta ally is now in charge of all our country’s money. We must stand united against the capture of our Treasury.
Fellow South Africans,
We cannot allow our country’s budget to be crafted at Saxonwold.
The budget is meant to be spent on developing our country, not developing Zuma’s new Dubai mansion.
It is unfair that the ANC has created a system which keeps ordinary people stuck, while only the ANC and people with connections get ahead.
What’s more is that in the three months Gigaba has been at the helm, we have seen our economy tumble. We have now been officially downgraded to “junk” status, and our unemployment rate is at a record 14-year high of 27.7%.
What is clear is that Malusi Gigaba is bad for our economy and our country, and good for the Guptas. As a Gupta appointee, we cannot allow him to be in charge of our country’s finances, and its jobs plan to create work for the 9.3 million unemployed South Africans.
We are therefore here to hand over a memorandum demanding that Malusi Gigaba resigns as Minister of Finance Minister immediately, so that we remove the hands of the Guptas from our Treasury and our money.
The DA will continue to fight tirelessly, through every mechanism possible, to free our institutions and our governments from State Capture and corruption.

DA-led Tshwane selling Mayoral Mansion to bring better services

The DA-led City of Tshwane has plans to sell the mayoral mansion it inherited from the previous ANC administration in order to prioritise bringing better services to Tshwane residents, particularly those living in informal settlements.

I am happy to announce that the City will officially be selling the Mayoral Mansion which we have long believed is unnecessary and can free up funds to embark on other meaningful projects and programmes for the people of Tshwane who, as I have long asserted, are our true VIPs.
– Executive Mayor, Solly Msimanga

Overall, the DA-led City of Tshwane has plans to upgrade and fully formalise seven informal settlements over the 2017/18 financial year. Project Tirane will upgrade the following areas to fully serviced stands, with some areas provided with bulk infrastructure:

  • Kudube X9
  • Refilwe Manor
  • Themba View
  • Olievenhoutbosch Ext 60
  • Zithobeni Heights
  • Zithobeni Ext 8 & 9
  • Mabopane Ext 1

Real change is on the way in Tshwane!

 

DA welcomes progress being made in Metro Governments

The DA notes and welcomes today’s inaugural Budget Speech by the Executive Mayor of Tshwane, Solly Msimanga.
Mayor Msimanga continues to be an excellent example that exemplifies how the DA delivers on our promises to improve service delivery, cut corruption and create jobs.
In Tshwane, Major Msimanga has:
• Allocated R1.3 billion to maintain and fix infrastructure;
• Set aside R660 million in Rosslyn, Ekangala and Watloo’s industrial nodes which will contribute towards 23 000 new EPWP jobs;
• Apportioned R2 billion for the metro police to put into action a crime fighting plan supported under the Inner City Rejuvenation project;
• Aimed to support all residents that qualify with a basket of free basic services that includes 100kWh of free electricity, 12kl of free water, free refuse removal and no property rates for all registered indigent households;
• Implemented an open bid adjudication process which creates transparency and accountability so that all citizens can see how tenders are awarded; and
• Committed to formalising a total of 7 informal settlements under Project Tirane.
The DA also notes and warmly welcomes today’s statement from the Executive Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB), Athol Trollip.
This is a true example of DA delivery success, where in just 8 months, Trollip is turning the metro around and delivering on his promises.
With 12 000 more people accessing basic services, NMB is becoming a city that delivers for all, and where more and more people than ever before have access to the dignity of sanitation, running water, electricity and refuse collection.
In NMB, Athol Trollip has:
• Guaranteed R211 million rand by the NMB municipality to get services to roughly 3000 informal homes, or 12 000 residents, in the upcoming year;
• Committed to put in place street lighting and resurfacing for gravel roads;
• Apportioned roughly R70 000 per erf to deliver these services;
• Changed the formerly corrupt Human Settlements Directorate into a vehicle for delivery; and
• Announced 1900 new title deeds to be handed to their rightful owners.
Two weeks ago Mayor Herman Mashaba delivered his inaugural State of the City address, and noted remarkable achievements, of which the DA is very proud.
Mayor Mashaba’s achievements include:
• After the City of Johannesburg, under the ANC, handed over zero title deeds in 2013/14, under Mayor Mashaba the City has handed over 2 800 titles deeds thus far, and a further 1 100 title deeds are ready to be handed over to beneficiaries.
• A newly-created Internal Investigations Unit in the City has exposed almost R2 billion in fraud and corruption. While the ANC let corruption flourish, the Mashaba administration is decisively cutting it out.
• More than 7000 Small, Medium and Micro- Sized Enterprises (SMME) were assisted by the SME Hubs over the past nine months, in order to reverse Johannesburg’s high unemployment rate. This evidences the DA’s all-out commitment to job creation.
• The extension of operating hours at more clinics across the city, to be open until 10 pm on weeknights, allowing residents access to healthcare without losing a day’s pay at work.
DA governments will continue to improve living conditions, because we care deeply about the people for whom we govern.

Undemocratic ANC still cannot accept loss in Tshwane

The conduct of the ANC in the City of Tshwane council today, where the Mayor was due to deliver his State of the City address, must be condemned in the strongest terms, and represents sheer lawlessness from a party that has long abandoned democratic principles.
Since losing the City of Tshwane in the 2016 Elections, the ANC has done little other than undermine the processes of government, the sittings of Council and the applications of rules. It is a party bent on breaking the rules, and undermining democracy at every turn, from Jacob Zuma, to its councillors at Local level.
The people of Tshwane spoke loudly on 3 August 2016, and they voted the ANC out of government under clouds of deep-seated corruption, nepotism, wasteful expenditure and sheer mismanagement of the Metro. The ANC is yet to accept this clear expression of the will of the people.
Conduct which seeks to violently intimidate any person attending a council meeting, from officials to journalists, clearly shows contempt for democracy and the rule of law.
Today the ANC has again disgraced itself in Tshwane. The ANC clearly is unable to lawfully act as an opposition party.  Today their conduct, in the words of the ANC, was meant to be a “coup d’etat” which again shows their absolute intolerance for democracy.
The government of Mayor Solly Msimanga continues to make exemplary progress in delivery and righting the wrongs left by the ANC, and will not be deterred or intimidated by the ANC’s thuggery.
Indeed, despite their despicable effort to prevent the State of the Capital address from continuing, the Mayor is currently completing his address.
We have the work of the people to do in Tshwane, and we will never be deterred by violence.