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Msimanga To Share His Vision For Tshwane

Today, Tuesday 21 June, DA Mayoral Candidate for Tshwane, Solly Msimanga, will return to his childhood home in Atteridgeville to share his personal vision for a renewed City of Tshwane.

President Zuma and Luthuli House have deployed an outsider, Thoko Didiza, to run for Mayor in an attempt to restore some credibility in the Tshwane ANC.

In contrast to Didiza, Msimanga is a son of Tshwane with a passion to serve its residents and make it great again.

As Msimanga embarks on the last leg of his journey to bring change to the Capital, he will set out his plans as the Mayor of Tshwane and what he would like to accomplish during his first term in office.

 

The event will take place as follows:

Date: Tuesday, 21 June 2016

Time: 11:00

Venue: Taxi Rank TR173, Maunde Street, Pretoria

GPS Coordinates: 25°47’07.6″S 28°02’37.9″E

 

Media enquiries:

Motheo Mtimkulu

Media Manager: Tshwane Mayoral Campaign

083 728 0554

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Tshwane ANC Violence: DA Calls For Calm

Violence in City of Tshwane

Tonight I call for calm in the City of Tshwane after the violence that erupted in Atteridgeville, Mamelodi, Soshanguve and Hammanskraal today – over the ANC’s imposed Mayoral Candidate, Thoko Didiza – escalated this evening.

The DA condemns the factions within the ANC that are fanning the flames of violence.

Tshwane burns this evening as a result of a party at war with itself. That war has now spilled onto our streets, placing the people of Tshwane at risk.

This violence is a symptom of ANC factionalism and in-fighting after President Zuma and Luthuli House defied the local ANC by imposing an outsider to run for the Mayor of the Capital. The collateral damage in this battle for power are the people of Tshwane.

Inherent Factionalism

These are not the actions of a party that can move this City forward. This ANC infighting and obscene violence shows why we need change in Tshwane.

This mess is of Luthuli House’s making; the national leadership of the ANC must now step in and step up to prevent any loss of life and further damage to property.

I challenge ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe to intervene and stop the ANC infighting spilling further onto the streets of our City.

Let us put the future of Tshwane first and put the factionalism inherent to the ANC behind us.

On 3 August 2016 let us vote for change that will move this City forward again.
Media enquiries:
Motheo Mtimkulu
Media Manager: Tshwane Mayoral Campaign
083 728 0554

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Msimanga To Share His Vision For Tshwane

Tomorrow, Tuesday 21 June, DA Mayoral Candidate for Tshwane, Solly Msimanga, will return to his childhood home in Atteridgeville to share his personal vision for a renewed City of Tshwane.

President Zuma and Luthuli House have deployed an outsider, Thoko Didiza, to run for Mayor in an attempt to restore some credibility in the Tshwane ANC.

In contrast to Didiza, Msimanga is a son of Tshwane with a passion to serve its residents and make it great again.

As Msimanga embarks on the last leg of his journey to bring change to the Capital, he will set out his plans as the Mayor of Tshwane and what he would like to accomplish during his first term in office.

The event will take place as follows:

Date: Tuesday, 21 June 2016

Time: 11:00

Venue: Taxi Rank TR173, Maunde Street, Pretoria

GPS Coordinates: 25°47’07.6″S 28°02’37.9″E

 

Media enquiries:

Motheo Mtimkulu

Media Manager: Tshwane Mayoral Campaign

083 728 0554

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It’s Time For A DA government In Emfuleni

Chronic Corruption and Maladministration

Emfuleni Local Municipality has been plagued with chronic corruption and maladministration that is crippling the municipality and has adversely affected the delivery of quality services to the residents of the municipality.

On many occasions, official communication from the municipality have denied their involvement in bungled tenders, poor service delivery and officials doing business with the municipality.

The DA will outline the scandals, service delivery issues, counts of corruption and money wasted in the municipality.

(Click here to access the press conference document).

Oversight Visits

It is high time that the residents of Emfuleni are made aware of how the ANC under the leadership of Mayor Simon Mofokeng, has brought this municipality to its knees.

During the past few months, the DA have asked many questions and conducted oversight visits to projects costing millions of rands, yet only empty sites remain.

I have travelled throughout Emfuleni and surrounding areas talking to residents and hearing their daily plight. Every single petition and community protest have fallen on deaf ears.

The residents of Emfuleni, especially the elderly and frail, have told me how difficult it is for them to take a bath or to prepare food for their loved ones.

Young people have told me of their plight in searching for a job as many of the facilities have no internet access. They cannot even visit the Boipatong Memorial and Youth Centre as it has been closed since inception.

No Action Against Corrupt Officials

The past few months, I, together with my colleagues in Emfuleni dug up what we deem to cost more than R400 million worth of corruption, inflated pricing and bungled tenders.

Poor administration have made matters worse, as very little to no action has been taken against corrupt officials.

Here is a list of headlines, which the DA has exposed to the public:

  1.  Billing scandal: DA uncovers massive organised crime syndicate in Emfuleni;
  2.  R14m roads & storm water project failure;
  3. Nguna and U-street: R14m later, still no tarred road;
  4. Dickinson Park – R52 million park – no equipment, no child’s-play;
  5. Residents of Sebokeng fed up with ANC jobs-for-pals schemes;
  6. Sharpeville ECD – still not open to service the community;
  7. Evaton Traffic Precinct R18 million later – still not precinct;
  8. Emfuleni Fire Brigade on a go-slow due to wage dispute;
  9. Emfuleni appoints Sedtrade with a contract value of over R150 million with no experience;
  10. The Mayor acknowledged a sum of R30 million lost to fraud. There has been no further attempt to recover the lost funds;

Public Funds Lost to Fraud and Corruption

All of our attempts have fallen on deaf ears from the Provincial Government to the Local Council and we have no other choice but to approach the Public Protector to investigate each and every transaction, interaction and pending investigations that might have been shelved by the municipality.

We will, in support of the Public Protectors investigation provide every piece of evidence, photos, transaction details, names of officials and responses from the MECs and we will work tirelessly to bring about change and once and for all expose the Emfuleni Local Municipality for fraud, corruption, maladministration and poor service delivery.

I will therefore be making this submission to the Public Protector to investigate public funds lost to fraud and corruption the tune of over R400 million.

Residents of Emfuleni now have a choice. They can either choose the status quo of corruption, empty and broken promises, poor service delivery and high unemployment, or they can choose the change that a DA-run local government can bring.

 

Media enquiries:

Kingsol Chabalala MPL

DA Mayoral Candidate for Emfuleni

060 558 8299

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Thoko Didiza – proudly brought to you by Jacob Zuma

President Zuma and Luthuli House made the decision today to disregard the voters of Tshwane and parachute in an outsider as its candidate to fill the corrupt shoes left by outgoing Mayor Ramokgopa.

Didiza’s deployment comes after a protracted and violent battle for the ANC’s top spot in the Capital that has left the party in a mess. With her nomination, today the ANC in Tshwane is more divided than ever.

It also raises serious questions about who Didiza will answer to, as she arrives in Tshwane on the orders of President Zuma and Luthuli House – not at the behest of voters.

With 44 days to go before the elections, the move is a desperate attempt by Luthuli House to stop the ANC from hemorrhaging any more support after the dismal showing by Sputla’s destructive government.

But the truth is that installing Didiza will not end the corruption that infected the ANC in Tshwane under Sputla’s watch.

Nor will it fix the party that has consistently failed to improve the lives of the residents of Tshwane, or create the jobs our people so desperately need.

Voters can be sure that Didiza will not bring change. She will only bring more of the same. More broken promises, more failed services, more unemployment and more corruption.

As a son of Tshwane, I have spent the past 290 days on the campaign trail engaging with voters across our metro. I understand the issues important to the people of Tshwane, and I have a plan to address them.

In contrast to this, Didiza brings with her the ANC’s playbook and no local knowledge whatsoever.

As the ANC lies in tatters in Tshwane, the City requires a competent government that can turn it around. I pledge to lead an honest and responsive DA government that will put the needs of the people of Tshwane first.

Independent polling shows that public sentiment against the ANC in Tshwane has turned negative and that the DA can win on August 3. Together with the support of all voters who want to move forward again, we can bring change to Tshwane. We can stop corruption, deliver better services and create jobs.

 

Solly Msimanga

DA Mayoral Candidate for Tshwane

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Mzwandile Masina: ANC Factional Politics Beats Service Delivery

Mzwandile Masina – Ekurhuleni Mayoral Candidate

By selecting Mzwandile Masina as their Mayoral candidate for Ekurhuleni, the ANC have shown that factionalism and cadre deployment trump service delivery and job creation.

Masina, who currently occupies the position of Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, is known to be an open Jacob Zuma man. Given the political struggle within the ANC in Gauteng between the Mashatile camp and the Zuma camp, it is no wonder that Masina has been parachuted into this position. He has no track record of delivery or governance.

Now Jacob Zuma has deployed Masina from parliament, to undermine the local ANC.

Unemployment in Ekurhuleni

Masina visited Dubai in early April this year. Did he visit the Gupta’s on his travels – given his proximity to President Zuma? Did the Gupta’s perhaps grant him his ministerial position when he was appointed in 2014? These are questions that Masina owes the people of Ekurhuleni answers to.

A close examination of his tenure in office as the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry revels that he has done very little. As a Mayor, it is unlikely this will change. His only major contribution in the public domain has been threatening DA MP’s with violence in Parliament.

Ekurhuleni is now the unemployment capital of Gauteng, where unemployment is at 35%, and in the first quarter of this year alone 110 000 jobs were lost in this city. The ANC has led a jobs massacre in Ekurhuleni which has seen 638 000 people lose their jobs since incumbent Mayor Mondli Gungubele took office. The ANC now wishes to replace Gungubele with someone even less experienced and capable to continue this jobs blood bath.

Poor Delivery, Corruption

Ekurhuleni requires a leader who will grasp the challenges of unemployment head on and deliver growth. The people of this city deserve a leader whose party has the track record of delivering services to all, especially the poor, cutting corruption and creating jobs.

I therefore publicly challenge Mzwandile Masina to debate me on the issues that face residents of this Metro, to try and explain to the voters how a newly deployed Zuma friend, without a track record, could stem the tide of poor delivery, corruption and job losses that plagues Ekurhuleni, and how he will do anything better to the plans I have proposed to give this Metro what it needs most – jobs.

The DA has a proven track record of job creation, cutting corruption and delivering services – we are ready to bring this record to Ekurhuleni.

 

Media enquiries:

Warren Gwilt

073 601 6144

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ANC promises another five years of joblessness under Tau

On Saturday night the ANC announced that the incumbent Johannesburg Mayor, Parks Tau, will be the ANC Mayoral Candidate for the upcoming Local Government Elections.

This decision shows that the ANC is not serious about creating jobs and bringing real change to the struggling people and stuttering economy of this city.

The fact that the ANC has taken so long to back his candidacy, with just weeks to go before the election, is indicative of how Tau does not enjoy a clear mandate from even his own party.

The people of Johannesburg deserve better than another five years of broken promises and financial mismanagement under a Tau administration.

Not only should the return of Parks Tau as Mayor of Joburg concern the residents of this city, but the fact that the ANC has included convicted criminals and people facing serious criminal charges on its list of candidate councillors.

One such individual is Chris Mabunda who is facing murder charges relating to the brutal assault and killing of two people in Alexandra.

It is alleged that he enjoys widespread support from the Gauteng ANC leadership and is considered ‘vital’ to what will be a tough election for the governing party.

Allowing such individuals to appear on the ANC list highlights the moral and ethical decay of this once great liberation movement.

Under Tau’s leadership, the ANC administration in Johannesburg has overseen mass job losses, misuse of public finances, infrastructure decay and failed service delivery.

Unemployment

Almost one in three Johannesburg residents do not have jobs. Unemployment has soared to 869 000 people, 66 000 of whom were added to the ranks of the unemployed in the first quarter of 2016.

Unemployment is creating a sense of hopelessness in far too many people and resulting in a rise in crime and drug abuse which is plaguing our city, especially its youth.

Financial mismanagement

Over the past five years Parks Tau has overseen over R5 billion in unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure. The people of Johannesburg should punish Tau for this misuse of public money.

On top of this gross disregard for proper management of public money, the ANC-run council failed to fulfill its legal requirement to conduct an investigation to determine whether any officials are liable for the expenditure and to recover the money if liability is proven. One is left asking, what are they trying to hide?

Failed service delivery

City power outages are on the rise with over 300 outages being experienced a month. Lives are being lost while the city faces a R68 billion electricity infrastructure backlog.

19% of Joburg’s electricity was lost in the last financial year, resulting in R2.3 billion in lost revenue. Nearly R1 billion worth of electricity was lost as a result of an inability to maintain electricity infrastructure.

R850 million worth of water was lost to leaks in 2015, while many communities still have no access to clean, running water.

A recent Stats SA census revealed that the City of Johannesburg provides only 7% of its indigent households with access to clean water.

Protracted Pikitup strikes have left our city filthy, creating a serious health hazard.

Wherever one looks, potholes are prevalent, traffic lights are out, and rubbish is piling up.

Human rights abuses

Over the past six months I have visited townships and informal settlements that personify the failures of the ANC and Tau’s administration.

I have been left dismayed at the conditions residents of this city’s informal settlements have been left to live under. The City has only budgeted for the upgrade of four of Johannesburg’s estimated 180 informal settlements in the current financial year.

With the city turning a blind eye to this reality, I have been left with no option but to file complaints on behalf of seven communities with the South African Human Rights Commission.

The communities of Zandspruit, Noordgesig, Alexandra, Kwa Mai-Mai, Kliptown, Princess and Melrose Street have been abandoned by an ANC administration that places self-interest above that of its people.

Johannesburg needs something new. Johannesburg needs real change that will move this city forward again.

I have a clear vision for this city. One that creates thousands of jobs, makes corruption public enemy number one, increases spending on public infrastructure, and ensures that quality service delivery reaches every community in Johannesburg, not just a select few.

The people of Johannesburg have an important choice to make on 3 August. Possibly, the most important decision since the dawn of democracy in 1994.

The people of Johannesburg must decide if they want to vote for five more years of soaring unemployment and the same broken promises or unite behind a new vision for our city under a DA government.

I am ready to serve the great people of this city; working together we can make Joburg a city of golden opportunities.

 

Herman Mashaba

DA Mayoral Candidate for Johannesburg

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DA’s call for Japie Vilankulu Street finally realised tomorrow

Note to editors: The following is an extract from a speech delivered by the Democratic Alliance’s Johannesburg Mayoral Candidate, Herman Mashaba, during the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Alexandra student uprising with the Vilankulu family. Mashaba was joined by DA leader, Mmusi Maimane MP, DA Gauteng Provincial Leader, John Moodey MPL, National Spokesperson, Phumzile Van Damme MP, and Interim DA Youth Leader, Yusuf Cassim MP.

Today we stand next to the grave, where Japie Vilankulu is buried.

This innocent, young man lost his life on 17 June, 1976. He was the first Alexandra youth to die in the unrest that had spilt over from Soweto uprising.

Japie was senselessly murdered by the oppressive Apartheid regime and his sacrifice must never be forgotten.

Today we honour him for his courage.

His courage as a young man to stand up to a racist, brutal regime and say enough.

The DA has long called for a street to be named after Japie. In 2014, a DA councilor in the City of Johannesburg had a motion calling for a street to be named after him passed during a council meeting. This after the ANC had failed for 15 years to fulfill its long promise to the Vilankulu family to do so.

At long last, tomorrow, our call will finally be answered and we must celebrate this.

Japie is an inspiration to us all and his name is etched in the history of our peoples’ struggle.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Japie’s family for their continued support of our cause.

Those we lost in 1976 never saw Apartheid fall and democracy rise.

They never knew the joy of raising a family and living a complete life.

They remain forever young in the hearts of their loved ones, and in our collective memory.

I know that youth is more than a phase in one’s life.

It is also a state of mind, a lightness of spirit, a love of adventure, and of an open and enquiring mind.

Youth is a time when most people’s life chances are determined.

It is a time that shapes us by its discoveries, joys, and scars.

This city’s youth and its future are dear to me. I know how opportunity changed my life in my youth.

I know that life-changing opportunities are the difference between success and socio-economic exclusion.

Of course, for the youth in 1976, opportunity was the difference between life and death.

South Africa needs the contributions of the youth now more than ever.

As a nation, we have always asked much of our youth like Japie Vilankulu.

But today we need to ask even more.

We call upon the youth to be the vessels of change.

As Mayor, I will prioritise working with the youth to fulfill the mandate given to us by the class of ’76, and carry our City and country forward.

The reality is that Johannesburg’s youth carry a double sized burden caused by the injustices of Apartheid and the costly blunders of the current administration.

Today, I would like to reaffirm my key pledges to the young people of Johannesburg to gain economic freedom.

We will introduce “schools to skills” programmes where school-leavers will be trained in how to handle the world of a business-leading city economy.

We will identify city-owned properties that entrepreneurs can adapt into top-performing schools and technical colleges of excellence for our poorest residents.

We will identify and lease out commercial spaces for small businesses, artisans, and shops at the lowest available rental prices to give young people an advantage.

We will look to provide registered work-seekers with free transport, so that they can find work more easily.

I will also work with the private sector to drive a project that is close to my heart. Early learning day care centres will be established in townships across Joburg. Children will receive nutritious meals, nurturing, and basic pre-school education. This will allow moms and dads to return to work.

These practical pledges and proven interventions in my vision will begin to fulfil our obligations to the young people of our city – and our huge debt to the Class of ’76.

The ANC has failed to fulfill the hopes and dreams of our youth that were ignited by the Class of ’76 and individuals such as Japie Vilankulu.

When elected mayor I will work tirelessly to ensure that these hopes and dreams become a reality for the youth of today.

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Mashaba: Only way to end City Power cuts is to cut ANC power

Note to editors: The following statement was made by DA Mayoral Candidate for Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, who is currently conducting oversight visits in Ennerdale, Lawley, and Klipspruit West. Mashaba is accompanied by DA Johannesburg Regional Chairperson, Khume Ramulifho; DA Caucus Leader in the Johannesburg City Council, Vasco Da Gama; and DA Shadow MMC for Environment, Infrastructure and Service Delivery in Johannesburg, Ralf Bittkau.

Today I am visiting the communities of Ennerdale, Lawley, and Klipspruit West, which, like a number of other communities across Joburg, have been suffering from ongoing power cuts since Sunday.

This is happening at a time that Joburg is in the grips of the coldest weather experienced this year and it is unacceptable for City Power to have widespread cuts.

Joburg suffers from at least 300 power outages a month. This equates to at least 10 power outages a day.

It is abundantly clear that City Power is failing in its responsibility to provide the people of Joburg with access to electricity.

City Power lacks skilled technical staff and chooses rather to employ subcontractors. The use of contractors with only limited supervision leaves the system open to abuse and corruption.

When elected Mayor on 3 August, my administration will immediately budget for the employment of additional technicians and an artisan programme within City Power to train electricians and essential technical staff.

The current allocation of two technicians per region, per shift, is simply unsustainable.

Mayor Tau’s silence on this ongoing crisis must be condemned and Tau should explain to the people of Joburg why his government has failed so dismally to provide City Power with the necessary resources and manpower to ensure effective and efficient maintenance of electricity infrastructure.

Although City Power has a maintenance plan, they always react to maintenance problems rather than investing time and resources to proactively ensure that infrastructure is properly maintained.

The Auditor-General (A-G) made some damning findings with regard to City Power in last year’s annual report.

19% of Joburg’s electricity was lost, resulting in R2.3 billion in lost revenue.

R841 million of this was lost as a result of technical losses, which is power lost during transmission.

This means nearly R1 billion worth of electricity was lost as a result of an inability to maintain electricity infrastructure.

We would be remiss to underestimate the contribution of cable theft to this ongoing problem, and the City must face this challenge head-on and allocate necessary resources and manpower to curb this problem.

Time and time again, Tau’s administration has proven ineffective in bringing an end to this crisis.

The only way to end City Power cuts is to cut ANC power in Johannesburg on 3 August.

The DA is ready to bring change to Johannesburg; the change we need to move forward again.

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ANC ashamed of its unemployment record in Tshwane

This morning an ANC candidate in Soshanguve approached the DA’s candidate in the area and threated to intimidate our activists and prevent any further canvassing activities if we do not remove the DA’s jobs posters from the area.

The posters highlight the plight of the 517,000 unemployed residents of the City, as well as the DA’s pledge to bring change that creates jobs to Tshwane.

The ANC wants these posters removed because they cannot refute the message the posters carry; the ANC is clearly embarrassed by the unemployment crisis in Tshwane.

Under Sputla’s ANC unemployment has increased in the City of Tshwane, with 40,000 residents joining the ranks of the jobless in the first 3 months of this year alone.

Today I would like to challenge the ANC in Tshwane: Let us debate the issue of unemployment. Let us put our respective records on job creation up for public scrutiny and let the people decide.

But the ANC would rather have the posters removed under threat of violence, than openly debate their record.

The past five years have seen unemployment in the City of Tshwane increase from 24.2% in the 2011 Census, to 26% in the latest quarterly labour force survey, which is a stain on the hands of Mayor Ramokgopa.

Since 2011 in the DA-run City of Cape Town we have brought expanded unemployment down to 21.7%, the lowest of any metro and 14.6% below the national average. Further to this, the unemployment rate in DA-run Midvaal is the lowest of any municipality in Gauteng.

With the 49 days to go before the Local Government Elections on August 3, it is clear that the ANC is resorting to threats and intimidation in a last ditch attempt to stop the DA’s growing momentum in Tshwane.

The DA believes in free and fair elections as part of a competitive democracy. We will continue to spread our message of change that stops corruption, delivers better services and create jobs.
Solly Msimanga

DA Gauteng Mayoral Candidate for Tshwane

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