SPEECH ON THE DEBATE ON PREMIER’S STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS BY MR. SOLLY MSIMANGA DELIVERED IN THE GAUTENG PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE ON 26 FEBRUARY 2015

Madam Speaker,

 

Please allow me to congratulate the Premier on his second State of the Province Address delivered on Monday. Hon Premier, I remember the day you delivered your inaugural address. You were hailed as David, the great giant slayer. You were praised as the one who’d kill goliath.

 

So sir, I will not call you a broken man, because I don’t believe that YOU are at that stage yet. But, I feel that I should also tell you that goliath is still alive and you need to step up to the challenge. The goliath that is standing in our pathway isn’t the unwillingness of our People in Gauteng, but the unwillingness of those in power to rid government of corruption. It isn’t because of people are lazy, but it is because opportunity remains a resource given to only the connected few.

 

I listened to the Premier’s speech in anticipation that I would hear how we will address the failing service delivery in our Municipalities. I was hoping there will be plan to address how we will help those municipalities in Gauteng, which are either bankrupt or on the brink of bankruptcy, turn around to being investor friendly, service delivery orientated, financially healthy running municipalities. But I got none of the above.

 

Instead what I got is more unrealistic promises and plans that lacked in detail. Honourable Premier, while you were making your speech on Monday, another piece of land belonging to the Tshwane Municipality was being sold. This is flowing against your plan to “strategically use land owned by government and the development approvals to prioritise and earmark the location of specific sectors and industries in the five development corridors of our province”. Could this be the case of the left hand not knowing what the right is doing?

 

The Premier spoke of partnership with the private sector. What commitment have you received from the private sector Hon Premier? How exactly are you going to improve the CBDs and parts of inner cities? What plan has been put in place to ensure that we don’t continue to put money into a never filling pit? How will you “Mobilise” the billions that would be put by private investors into these Cities?

Premier, in your speech, you said “there is appetite and passion to invest”. I am therefore asking these questions to satisfy myself and the residents of Gauteng that this appetite can actually be meet with a meal.

 

In light of the fact that the Alexandra renewal project has been brought to a standstill by a court order since 2008, how exactly then, are you going to “Revitalise Alexandra”? This applies also Kliptown, to which you have admitted “is in a terrible and sorry state of disrepair”. Tell us how sir.

In Everton, there was a project called the Everton Renewal Project to which almost half a billion Rands has been allocated and used, yet residents in Everton still finds themselves using pit toilets. It gets worse. The area is rotting with half build roads and infrastructure.

 

140 000 in Diepsloot and surroundings

160 000 in Mogale and surroundings

120 000 in Sedibeng

 

These are the amount of housing units in the next 5 years as promised by the Premier. 580 000 new units promised. Broken down, 116 000 units per year. Premier, this goes against what the housing departments in the province and cities had to say in a meeting held just last week. They confirm that there’s a backlog in housing demand of over 700 000 units which demand could be currently satisfied at 30 000 units per year. This is by the way province wide.

 

580 000 units in 5 years across 5 years. This is stuff dreams are made of and would be great if we can achieve. I humbly request that we be provided with details of how this rollout will transpire, so that we can be sure that this sweet and beautiful dream doesn’t turn into a nightmare.

We once again hear of the building of the Tshwane Convention Centre. This is really déjà vu, as I have heard of this Convention Centre for the past 10 years, attending 2 of the 4 sought turning ceremonies, yet no Convention Centre to date.

 

It is time that we really stop politicking, and start delivering to our people, because they really deserve better!

 

 

I thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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