R118 000 to repair CT scanner at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital

R118 000 will be spent to repair the CT Scanner that was vandalised at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital and caused the delay in reopening the Accident and Emergency Unit.

This was revealed today by Gauteng Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi in an oral reply to my questions at a sitting of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.

According to Mokgethi, the CPU was stolen from the CT Scanner, and other electrical items were also damaged and stolen, resulting in a total estimated loss of R87 000.

She said that the thefts occurred at the construction site in the hospital where the contractor was responsible for security.

I asked the MEC why the hospital’s own security was not held accountable as well, and she said that action was being taken against them.

It is vital that security is stepped up at the hospital as staff and patients suffer terribly when thefts disrupt hospital services.

DA Leaders To Cast Votes For Change

This Election, 3 August 2016, the DA Leader and battleground Mayoral Candidates will cast their votes as follows:

 

DA Leader, Mmusi Maimane MP –

Live coverage on SABC and ENCA

Time: 08h00

Location: Allen Glen High School, Randburg, Johannesburg

Media enquiries: Mabine Seabe (084 677 7851)

Maimane will be joined by DA Mayoral Candidate for Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba.

 

DA Mayoral Candidate for Cape Town, Patricia De Lille –

Time: 08h50

Location: Pinelands Town Hall, St Stephens Road, Pinelands, Cape Town

Media enquiries: Cameron Arendse (079 477 2744)

 

DA Mayoral Candidate for Nelson Mandela Bay, Athol Trollip –

Live coverage on SABC and ENCA

Time: 09h30

Location: Westbourne Oval, Richmond Hill, NMB

Media enquiries: Kristoff Adelbert (079 199 1890)

 

DA Mayoral Candidate for Tshwane, Solly Msimanga, joined by DA Leader, Mmusi Maimane MP –

Live coverage on SABC

Time: 10h00

Location: Capital Park Primary School, Flower Street, Tshwane

Media enquiries: Motheo Mtimkulu (083 728 0554)

 

DA Mayoral Candidate for Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba –

Time: 11h00

Location: Sandton Fire Station, Grayston Drive, Joburg

Media enquiries: Nkele Molapo (072 041 4842)

 

DA Mayoral Candidate for Ekurhuleni, Ghaleb Cachalia –

Time: 11h45

Location: Eastleigh Primary School, Central Avenue, Edenvale

Media enquiries: Warren Gwilt (073 601 6144)

 

DA Mayoral Candidate for Midvaal, Bongani Baloyi 

Time: 09h00

Location: Rothdene Hall, Ward 3, Midvaal

Media enquiries: Percy Koji (078 690 2770)

ANC MUST EXPLAIN WHY ONLY 59 OUT OF 150 INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS HAVE BEEN FORMALISED

In 2013, outgoing Mayor Ramokgopa promised in his State of the City Address that “The total eradication of informal settlements remains an important goal of our work during the current term of office. Our citizens deserve places of residence that are fully serviced with title deeds.

And just yesterday, Thoko Didiza, the ANC’s lame duck mayoral candidate, reiterated this promise saying that replacing informal settlements is a priority for the party.

But truth is that since 2013, the number of informal settlements has only grown under the ANC. The ANC must explain their broken promises to formalise informal settlements.

According to City of Tshwane’s 2014-2105 Annual Report, only 59 of the 150 informal settlements identified in 2013 by the City’s “flagship” housing programme, Re Aga Tshwane, have been formalised. This is a mere 39% of the set target.

Since 2013, the number of informal settlements in Tshwane has in fact increased to 178. Among these informal settlements is Plastic view which recently burnt, killing five people and displacing roughly 1 500 residents.

Many informal settlements in Tshwane are without access to basic services such as water, electricity and sanitation.

According to the General Household Survey, Tshwane has the lowest percentage of households with access to a basic sanitation facility at 82% in comparison to 91.4% in Cape Town.

In 2015, Sputla yet again said the City would “accelerate the formalisation process through the Re Aga Tshwane programme”. But just like the rest of his promises, this pledge too lies broken and shattered.

Sputla was correct in saying that the people of the Capital deserve houses with title deeds. But the ANC government in Tshwane has failed to deliver.

Handing over title deeds is about more than giving people ownership of their homes; it is about expanding access to opportunity.

Title deeds allow people to be owners of their property, to have access to equity, to be part of this society and to prosper. Title deeds give people access to opportunity and to ability to improve their lives and the lives of their families.

Earlier this week the DA revealed that corruption and financial mismanagement in the Capital has cost its residents the equivalent of 32,153 RDP houses, while the housing backlog in Tshwane stood at over 120,000 according to the 2014/15 Gauteng Department of Human Settlement’s Annual Performance Plan.

For too long the people of the Capital have been let down by broken ANC promises.

The DA have committed to working hard to ensure that the delivery of title deeds in municipalities we govern is sped up so that more South Africans can own the properties where they live.

Where the DA governs, we are committed to ensuring the fair allocation of housing opportunities, and vitally, coupled with the issuance of title deeds.

In the past three years, the DA-run City of Cape Town has given 15 000 title deeds to make the poor the real owners of their own homes. This is more than any other metro in the country.

This is the change that only the DA can deliver, handing over title deeds as well as greater transparency and accountability in the awarding of RDP. This has been proved in the municipalities we govern.

This is the DA difference; this is the change the DA wants to bring to Tshwane in order to see it move forward again.

Together, on 3 August, we can bring change to Tshwane.

 

Media enquiries:

Motheo Mtimkulu

Media Manager: Tshwane Mayoral Campaign

083 728 0554

Joburg Tourism: Potential Golden Goose? Or Dead Duck?

Red Bus Tour

Tourism can contribute many more jobs in Joburg than is currently the case.

I recently joined the two-hour Red Bus Tour around the city, to see what Johannesburg offers tourists.

As an entrepreneur turned mayoral candidate, I wanted to see what the city can do to attract tourism and thereby create jobs for the city’s unemployed.

Tourism could undeniably boost employment, especially through entrepreneurs, and this was proven at every stop where informal entrepreneurs have set up shop to cater for the tourists that hop off the bus to visit the formal tourism sites.

However, the bus was not fully booked, not to the extent it would have been in Cape Town or London or Nairobi. Unfortunately, for many tourists, Johannesburg is merely a transit city, and if Johannesburg is to harness the hordes of tourists that arrive at OR Tambo, then it is going to have to offer more robust attractions to the tourist.

Tourism Generates Jobs

Johannesburg is going to have to become competitive. Tourism sites must be relevant, well-manned, and maintained. Johannesburg must become a destination site on its own terms.

We have to promote what is only to be found in Johannesburg, and what we don’t have we need to create. Internationally, top tourist competitors such as Singapore, constantly evolve in what they offer tourists. The traditional tourist sites attract, but it is innovations that turn cities into destinations – Johannesburg must become a destination city to earn its rightful share of tourism.

I’m a great supporter of tourism because it generates employment, both directly in terms of jobs and in a host of supporting jobs and industries – it has a good knock-on effect.

Most importantly it brings in income without anything having to leave our shores, so it’s a net importer of currency and capital, and that’s a good deal for a businessman. The money stays in circulation in the country.

International Sports

One thing that does bring tourists to Johannesburg is international sports.

A game between South Africa and the All Blacks brings in thousands of fans spending millions of rand creating hundreds of jobs.

If we want to be known as a tourist friendly, then we need to stop introducing ill-considered policies that discourage tourism, even sports tourism.

On the contrary, the City of Johannesburg should coordinate the offering of tourism products that leads sports fans or business visitors to bring their families and stay 2 or 3 nights longer in Joburg than they currently do, before going off to other places like the Kruger Park.

Tourism leads to business development. Thousands of small businesses have been started in SA by people who have first come here as tourists and have seen the multitude of opportunities that exist within our economy, opportunities that don’t exist in highly developed countries. This results in lots of small businesses opening.

Government intervention, however well-intentioned, can have disastrous consequences.

Sports minister Fikile Mbalula’s announcement that South Africa will no longer be allowed to host certain sporting events will decrease the number of tourists to Johannesburg and will crush opportunities for small businesses and will kill jobs.

Where the DA Governs, Life is Better

By nullifying potential international tournaments, we’re smashing down tourism. These sporting codes have huge fan bases that follow the teams, and we’re rejecting them.

Rather than a slap-down interventionist policy, there should be co-operative engagement to help meet the challenges the sporting codes face where it achieves the most, at developmental level.

The City of Johannesburg would do well to clean up shabby areas and crack down on criminal activities that deter tourists. It is difficult to attract tourists once an area gets a bad reputation for crime.

As Mayor of Johannesburg I will help small tourist businesses to become successful. I know how this can be done. In so doing, there will be opportunities for more and more jobs.

But a national government bent on bad policy for electioneering purposes will make this more difficult. My job would be to lobby against such policy so that my city and its citizens can thrive.

Because where the DA governs, life is better.

 

Media enquiries:

Willie Venter

060 963 8260

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Joburg Mayor Ditches Zandspruit Residents

Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau

The DA is deeply concerned about Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau’s deafening silence on the plight of Zandspruit residents.

Yesterday residents marched peacefully to hand over a memorandum of concerns to the mayor, only to be told that he is too busy to attend.

Why would mayor Tau not take Zandspruit’s people and their concerns seriously?

A few weeks ago, I went to Zandspruit to meet with residents and engage them on their concerns, and was heartbroken to see the living conditions of these residents, 22 years into democracy.

Human Rights Commission

Electricity remains a major concern, with countless deaths caused due to illegal connections. Instead of providing electricity, the city allowed Eskom to switch off all power to the entire community.

I laid a complaint with the Human Rights Commission over this matter, who have agreed to investigate in the meantime.

Mayor Tau’s callous response stands in stark contrast to the DA’s caring approach where we govern.

In Cape Town this past week, when protestors took to the street in Dunoon, Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille immediately stepped in, held an urgent engagement with Dunoon community leaders, and took their concerns to be handled by the Mayor’s Office.

Change is Coming

Yet in Johannesburg, Mayor Tau’s blatant disrespect for the people of Zandspruit shows just how the ANC government only cares for the select few.

The DA has a track record of clean governance and better service delivery where it governs.

Where the DA governs, we offer the most comprehensive basket of free basic services to the poorest communities, to uplift communities and to improve lives.

Change is coming to Johannesburg, just as it’s sweeping across the rest of South Africa.

Because where the DA governs, life is better.

 

Media enquiries:

Willie Venter for Herman Mashaba

Director: Communications and Research

060 963 8260

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Media Accreditation Open For DA Manifesto Launch

On Saturday 23 April, DA Leader, Mmusi Maimane MP, will launch a local government manifesto that promises to bring change and accountability to municipalities across the country.

This year’s Local Government Elections will arguably be the most competitive in our democratic history and we need to vote for change, change that will build a better South Africa for all.

The Leader will be joined by the DA’s Mayoral Candidates,  for Johannesburg – Herman Mashaba – for Tshwane, Solly Msimanga MPL – for Cape Town, Patricia de Lille – and for Nelson Mandela Bay, Athol Trollip.

Media organisations wishing to attend the manifesto launch should RSVP with Victoria Tompkins (victoriat@da.org.za) by no later than close of business tomorrow, Tuesday 19 April 2016. The following details need to be submitted for accreditation:

  1. Name of organisation
  2. Number of people attending
  3. Names and positions of those attending
  4. Contact details (cell, tel, email)

Date: Saturday 23 April 2016

Venue: Rand Stadium, Johannesburg

We understand that there may be certain media organisations which are unable to confirm as yet which member of their staff will be attending. In those cases, we would kindly request that a RSVP is still sent through, which indicates that the names of the attendees will be confirmed at a later stage.

 

Enquiries:

Victoria Tompkins

Strategic Communications Manager

082 906 4799

 

Nkele Molapo

Media Officer

072 041 4842

Illegal Miners Threaten Roads In East Joburg

Illegal Gold Mining

I am concerned at the report today that illegal gold mining is threatening the safety of motorists using the M2 highway between Denver and Jeppe in east Johannesburg.

According to the Johannesburg Metro Police, there have been attacks on some motorists whose cars have broken down in this area.

There are also fears that the illegal miners will dig under the M2 and cause structural damage to the road.

At one illegal mining site near Cleveland Road, the miners are digging where contractors are laying cables for the intelligent freeway monitoring system.

Johannesburg Roads Agency

The Johannesburg Roads Agency says that a security guard had been shot dead and there were incidents of violence in which workers had been robbed of equipment and assaulted.

This is a serious situation that needs a co-ordinated response by the police and city agencies.

The experience in Cape Town has shown that a specialist unit is most effective in tackling this type of problem which includes stopping the theft of materials to be sold as scrap.

Media enquiries:

Jack Bloom MPL

DA Johannesburg East Constituency Head

082 333 4222

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Joburg Safety In Dire State When Not Even Mayor’s Family Safe

Philisiwe Twala-Tau

The DA is pained that the attack on Ms Philisiwe Twala-Tau, wife of Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau last night, shows that no one is safe in the City of Joburg.

Our thoughts are with Mrs Tau.

The unfortunate incident took place in a Sandton parking area when Ms Tau was approached by robbers and robbed of her personal belongings.

Last night’s incident shows that no-one is safe from rapidly rising levels of crime in Johannesburg, and that the city is failing to secure our people. Joburg requires a comprehensive and all-encompassing crime-busting approach.

Safer Streets

The DA’s “Safer Streets” initiative is part of our Vision for Johannesburg, and it combines and coordinates metro police, private security firms, and the SAPS to enforce the law collectively.

A DA government will use live statistical reporting methods to ascertain crime hotspots, and focus law enforcement operations in these areas immediately.

Just like in Cape Town, we will use state of the art monitoring and surveillance techniques of comprehensive CCTV, and gunshot monitoring technologies, linked to local law enforcement, to make safer streets a reality.

A DA-led Johannesburg will use every available law enforcement resource to its fullest extent to win the war on crime.

 

Media enquiries:

Willie Venter

Director: Communications and research

060 963 8260

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DA Reports City Of Johannesburg To HRC For Rights Violations

The DA has today compiled a complaint to the Human Rights Commission over the City of Johannesburg’s repeated violation of residents’ human rights. This complaint will be filed without delay.

We are doing this to hold the government of Johannesburg to account for neglect of our citizens.

The most powerful way for people to change their circumstances is through voting for change, and voting in a new government. The people of Johannesburg can vote for change in this year’s election.

But until this change-election of 2016, the ANC government of Johannesburg cannot be allowed to continue violating human rights without scrutiny.

To date I have personally experienced violations as follows, which form the basis of our complaint to the SAHRC:

  • In Zandspruit people have no access to emergency services, and have to live without sewage infrastructure and without legal electrical connections while relying on standpipes or grey water. Children play close to dead rodents that are not cleaned away by City health and sanitation.
  • In Noordgesig people live close to a mine dump which is cause for major environmental and health problems. Many residents suffer from chest complaints and there is a high rate of tuberculosis in the area.
  • Alexandra has informal housing units scattered between formal housing without access to any services, resulting in sewage flows between units.
  • The Madala Men’s Hostel in Alexandra is an unsound structure that has not been maintained and unfit for human occupation. Part of the roof has been destroyed leaving residents exposed to the elements. Access to water is sporadic and the sewage system is blocked, leading to severe health concerns.
  • At the Melrose Street informal settlement in City & Suburban about 150 people share a few portable toilets that are filthy and are not emptied regularly. There is a single tap to service the settlement, while storm water drains are blocked and the municipality does not clear them.
  • In Diepsloot people are profoundly affected by crime and violence. There is raw effluent in the streets, since no sanitation service is offered. Children cross flowing sewage to play, and to get around their neighbourhood. Recently a young child drowned because there is no bridge for residents to cross the river when it rains.
  • In Kwa Mai-Mai thousands of families live in squalid conditions in a run-down building next to the Kwa Mai-Mai market. Only one toilet, erected by inhabitants, services the entire community. There is no sanitation and no refuse removal, garbage lies knee-deep and sewage runs in the alleys like a grey river.
  • Helen Joseph Hostel for Women in Alexandra is home to thousands of women, but has a serious sanitation problem: pipes are blocked and the communal bathrooms are flooded and the ablution facilities are blocked. There is no piped water for residents, and water has to be collected at a central point.
  • Kliptown’s residents live in old houses that are crumbling and are forced to share central portable toilets. Rats are fearless of humans because of the unsanitary conditions and are everywhere.

It cannot be that these living conditions can go unpunished at the hands of Mayor Parks Tau and the ANC.

A DA government in Johannesburg will deliver functioning sewerage infrastructure, running water and electricity, and spend more and more public money on upgrading our poorest communities.

From Cape Town to Midvaal where the DA governs, living conditions improve.

The DA will deliver change to Johannesburg that sees the highest levels of water, sanitation and electricity access, just as we have done where the DA governs already.

Change is coming to Johannesburg; change that delivers services for all residents.

 

Media enquiries:

Willie Venter

Director: Communications and research

060 963 8260

Johannesburg Cannot Afford R15,6 Billion Write-Off

R15,6 billion Worth of Debt

The DA is deeply concerned over the City of Johannesburg’s decision to write off more than R15,6 billion worth of debt, when a large proportion of that debt could have been collected.

Failure to collect billions owing to the City is a failure of governance, and shows weak financial controls.

The fact that some debt to be written off includes national and provincial government departments, is a slap in the face to poor residents of Johannesburg who now face R15,6 billion less in the service delivery coffers.

For some residential debt, prepaid meter installation is a good remedy for long standing default, but it is completely unacceptable that commercial and government debts are written off in the same fell swoop.

Written Off Revenue

The poorest of the poor suffer the most when a City fails to fulfil its statutory duty to protect its income stream.

The written off revenue could have been invested in more houses, clinics, schools and vital infrastructure – bring much needed relief – instead commercial and government debtors are getting off scot-free.

Where the DA governs in Cape Town and other municipalities, we pursue a compassionate indigent policy to provide relief to the poor – giving them access to free basic services while reducing the burden of property rates for those who are homeowners.

DA in Cape Town

In Cape Town the DA provides the most comprehensive of basket of free basic services of any municipality in South Africa.

The relief, extended by the DA, benefits senior citizens, organisations providing social services such as children’s homes, old age homes and NGOs.

It is vital that Mayor Parks Tau and city officials account for their failure to collect this debt.

 

Media enquiries:

Willie Venter

Director: Communications and Research

060 963 8260

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