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Called upon to serve, Cllr Ald. Campbell led with dedication to get Ekurhuleni back on track

The DA in Gauteng expresses our gratitude to Cllr Ald. Tania Campbell, now Leader of the Opposition in the Ekurhuleni City Council, and congratulates her on the achievements of the Multi-Party Coalition government she led since the 2021 Local Government Elections.

A motion of no confidence in Ekurhuleni’s Multi-Party Coalition government, brought opportunistically by the ANC-EFF coalition of corruption and its minor puppet parties, was passed earlier today, 126 votes to 91.

The Multi-Party Coalition government, led by Cllr Ald. Campbell in its efforts to turn the tide of decades of failure and neglect, prioritised throughout its time in office solutions to loadshedding, services delivery, and the eradication of corruption within the city.

Contracts with 47 Independent Power Producers (IPPs) were signed, 26 solar IPPs initiated, as well as several gas-based energy projects. Upon completion, these initiatives will add 358 Mega Watts of electricity by 2024, R6.5 billion worth of investment, and will lead to the creation of 2 500 job opportunities.

The Multi-Party Coalition government also focused on providing access to basic services such as water and electricity to households from the most socio-economically vulnerable. Illegal connections and tampered and bypassed meters were removed, and almost 6km of new pipelines were laid to ensure access to water.

Under the Multi-Party Coalition government, 70km of Ekurhuleni roads were rehabilitated. Over 500 square meters of potholes were filled and the pothole backlog of the City significantly reduced.

To avoid a fiscal cliff that would have seen the poor suffering the most, the Multi-Party Coalition government implemented effective and necessary measures that prevented the fiscal collapse of Ekurhuleni.

In vital mitigation of the effects on the poorest of the fiscal restraint measures required by the national government, an extensive Debt Rehabilitation and Reward Incentive Scheme to provide immediate reprieve to residents was initiated, resulting in a financial commitment of over R30 million.

The DA in Gauteng thanks Cllr Ald. Campbell for her dedication and service to the residents of Ekurhuleni and echoes the gratitude she expressed to the Multi-Party Coalition and administrative officials who sought to serve the people of Ekurhuleni despite the enormity of the challenges of dealing with decades of failure.

Whether from government, fighting for service delivery against a politicised civil service, or from the opposition benches in Council, fighting for the residents of Ekurhuleni, the DA’s commitment to getting the City of Ekurhuleni back on track will not flag.

Cllr Ald. Tania Campbell’s full remarks in reaction to the passage of the motion are available here.

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DA calls on MEC Mazibuko to conduct an investigation into the conduct of metro police officers in Gauteng

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling on the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko to conduct an investigation into the conduct of the metro police officers in the province as a matter of urgency.

This follows a shameful incident captured in a video which went viral on social media of a Ekurhuleni Metro police officer who was under the influence of alcohol.

The drunk officer is seen threatening bystanders and struggling to walk while his firearm is falling off.

The video also shows the name tag of the officer, the registration number of the EMPD vehicle he was using as well as the inside of the car which was full of alcohol.

This disgusting behaviour of a metro police officer must not be tolerated.

The MEC should ensure that our metro police are fit for duty to prevent crime and to ensure the safety of our residents on the roads.

The DA believes that the only solution to ensure that the metro police adhere to their code of conduct is professionalising the metro police service. This can be done by hiring people with a passion for policing and retraining metro police officers to make the metro police force honest, professional and one that serves and protects South Africans.

We will continue to monitor the progress with regards to the investigations into this incident to ensure that the law takes its course and that these rotten police officers are removed from the system. We also call on the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko to investigate the matter and give feedback in the Gauteng Legislature.

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R7 Million In 7 Years Allegedly Spent On Upgrading Wattville Hostels

Gauteng Human Settlements MEC, Paul Mashatile, revealed in a reply to a DA question that the Wattville Hostel in Wattville, Ekurhuleni has been refurbished at a cost of R7 million since 2010.

It is alarming that R7 million was spent in 7 years with absolutely nothing to show for it.

Click here to view the response.

The DA visited the Wattville Hostels last week as part of an oversight tour aiming at addressing and highlighting the plight of Gauteng’s most vulnerable residents living in horrific conditions.

According to the reply, plans for refurbishment were placed on hold by the National Department of Human Settlements due to cost escalation.

The Ekurhuleni Metro and the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements has failed in championing the basic human rights and dignity of the residents of Wattville.

Click here, here, here, here and here to view the images.

Ekurhuleni Mayor, Mzwandile Masina laid a wreath at the gravesite of the late OR Tambo in remembrance of his selfless service to the people of South Africa in Wattville on Friday, however, he chose to ignore the inhumane living conditions at the Wattville Hostels. OR Tambo would be ashamed.

The ANC have for far too long forgotten the people of South Africa.

The DA will ensure that the living conditions at Wattville Hostels are improved and that the city delivers services to all its residents.
 

 

Media Enquiries
 
 
 
Michele Clarke MPL
DA Gauteng Constituency Head – Benoni
060 558 8299
 
Yaseen Carelse
Social Cluster Manager
076 721 8613
 
 
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ANC’s Failing Ekurhuleni Government Must Take Blame For Duduza Violence

Violence and Service Delivery Protests

The ANC’s failing Ekurhuleni Metro government must take responsibility for the waves of violence and service delivery protests that have rocked Duduza over the last two days.

Residents have taken to the streets to express their dismay at the broken promises of successive ANC mayors in Ekurhuleni who have failed to deliver jobs to this community. Residents have barricaded roads, destroyed traffic lights and have torched government buildings, including the local post office and library.

DA-run Tshwane and Johannesburg Metros

The Ekurhuleni Metro has not had any significant changes in governance, or exposed any major corruption, or attracted major investment since the August 2016 elections, whereas the DA-run Tshwane and Johannesburg metros are undergoing fundamental transformations that are improving the lives of its citizens.

The ANC’s continued failure to engender confidence in the economy that would lead to growth and job creation is squarely to blame, and a community that has been historically peaceful has now had to resort to violence to highlight their plight to an indifferent, uncaring ANC mayor and province.

The DA urges for calm in the community, and encourages residents to express their dismay with the ANC through the ballot box. The DA will keep fighting for every resident left behind by the ANC.

 

 

Media enquiries:

Ashor Sarupen

DA Constituency Head – Springs

060 558 8303

[Image source]

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DA To Expose Five Years Of Job-Killing Corruption In Ekurhuleni

Today, Friday 15 July 2016, Democratic Alliance Mayoral Candidate for Ekurhuleni, Ghaleb Cachalia, DA Parliamentary Deputy Chief Whip Mike Waters MP and DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Finance, Ashor Sarupen MPL will host a press conference to expose the full scale of job-killing corruption in the Ekurhuleni metro.

The DA will reveal the full extent to which the ANC has engaged in corruption and mismanagement in the metro – including illegal staff appointments, tender corruption and willfully ignoring court orders, amongst other issues.

The DA will also discuss its plans to deal with this corruption going forward.

There will be an opportunity for interviews and photographs.

Date: Friday,15 July 2016

Time: 10:30am

Venue: Heathrow Conference Room, Birchwood Hotel and Conference Center

Address: 14 View Point Rd, Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng

Light refreshments will be served.

 

MediaEnquiries:

Tanya Heydenrych

Senior Media Officer

073 701 6729

 

Warren Gwilt

Media Officer

073 601 6144

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Actonville’s Deteriorating Rental Stock Claims Its First Victim

Actonville’s Deteriorating Rental Stock

Actonville’s rental stock has now deteriorated to the point where the dilapidated structures are claiming the lives of residents.

It is now almost impossible for residents to live there.

Following the needless and tragic loss of life a life on Sunday, residents now sleep uneasy not knowing who next will fall victim to the poorly maintained council flats.

Just last week in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, I questioned former Gauteng Human Settlements MEC, Jacob Mamabolo, as to the worsening state of the rental stock. The MEC claimed he was not aware of the situation.

Living Conditions

Despite numerous calls from the DA to address the situation in Actonville, the MEC chose to ignore our requests.

Last week, I also requested an investigation into the living conditions of the rental stock and the sudden price escalation of the properties.

I urge Human Settlements MEC, Paul Mashatile, to conduct an urgent oversight visit and see for himself the appalling conditions in which residents have to live in.

Time for Action

The dignity of the residents of Actonville must be upheld and respected. Many petitions and requests for intervention have been made to the MEC and the ANC in Ekurhuleni, but to date this has fallen on deaf ears.

MEC Mashatile, the time for action is now.

 

Media enquiries:

Michele Clarke MPL

DA Gauteng Constituency Head – Benoni

060 558 8299

[Image source]

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No jobs for the disabled in Ekurhuleni

During January 2016 I visited centres caring for the disabled in Ekurhuleni as part of the DA’s Jobs Campaign. Through these visits it has become clear that the Ekurhuleni Metro has forgotten the disabled.

The centres I visited continuously struggle to obtain funds to pay for trained staff and keep the doors of the centres open.

Little Eden who cares for over 300 intellectually disabled residents in Edenvale and Bapsfontein is forced to employ untrained staff and have to use their own funds to provide on-site training. Unfortunately, many of the newly trained staff have repeatedly found better employment elsewhere as soon as they have completed their training and the process of training staff starts over again.

The residents of Little Eden cannot be trained to fulfil a place in the open job market due to their intellectual disabilities. They can only fulfil basic chores inside the home under the guidance of a supervisor. Some of the residents of Little Eden fulfil tasks such as washing the dishes or making tea.

This is also the position of the intellectually disabled of East Rand Protective Workshop in Kempton Park where the staff have to help mentor and enhance the skills of the 33 permanent residents as well as 60 day visitors. Local businesses in Kempton Park sometimes provide employment to the residents in the form of easy repetitive tasks such as packing gadgets.

Disabled students or learners with intellectual / special educational needs rarely have the opportunity to access the jobs market. However, fifteen learners from Thembinkosi School for Learners with Educational Needs in Tembisa recently received training and secured a job after completing their schooling in 2015.

Thembinkosi School attempts to place more students in the jobs market, but their biggest challenge is using public transport to get to and from work.

It is disappointing that the Ekurhuleni Metro has failed to thus far provide any initiative that accommodates the disabled in its job market.

It is crucial that the Ekurhuleni Metro invest in the education and training of their disabled residents. It is also crucial that the metro invest in infrastructure that will make traveling to and from work safe and easy for the disabled residents who have a job.

 

Media enquiries:

John Anticevich

PR Councillor: Ward 5 / 89

Deputy Spokesperson: Ekurhuleni Metro Disability Oversight Portfolio

082 296 4773

[IMAGE SOURCE]

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DA submits petition calling on EMM and Rand Water to appear before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Water & Sanitation

The Democratic Alliance has submitted a petition to Parliament calling for both Rand Water and the Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation.

Gauteng, and the rest of the country, is experiencing the worst drought in 23 years.

In Ekurhuleni this drought has been compounded by poor management by Rand Water and the Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality (EMM), which has resulted in water shortages in the municipality and many households’ taps running dry.

To date over 1200 residents have signed the petition, which calls for the Portfolio Committee to interrogate Rand Water and the Ekurhuleni Metro to give deadlines as to when:

  1. Rand Water will install independent power supplies at all of its pump stations;
  2. Ekurhuleni Metro will implement the computerised telemetry system – so that they can verify, at a push of a button, the levels of water at their reservoirs, instead of using the sick method;
  3. Their action plan to repair water infrastructure as Ekurhuleni is losing 39.8% of all its water; and
  4. The reasons why the financial statements submitted to Gauteng Treasury showed that at the end of the 2014/15 financial year in June, the Ekurhuleni Metro had only spent 48% of the R127 million budgeted for waste water management and had failed to spend 46% of the R333 million allocated to water services.

Residents who have not signed the petition can still do so by going to the following link www.petitions24.com/water_crisis

Media Enquiries:

Mike Waters MP

DA Lethabong Constituency Head

DA Deputy Chief Whip in Parliament

082 902 4523

[IMAGE SOURCE] 

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DA petitions EMM and Rand Water to appear before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Water & Sanitation

Gauteng, and the rest of the country, is experiencing the worst drought in 23 years.

In Ekurhuleni this drought has been compounded by poor management by Rand Water and the Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality (EMM), which has resulted in water shortages in the municipality and many households’ taps running dry.

South Africans have for far too long suffered due to the failure by the ANC government at a national, provincial and local level.

The current water crisis in Ekurhuleni could have been avoided had Rand Water implemented the plan they presented to the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation on 25 February 2015.

Given the water crisis that hit Ekurhuleni last year September one would have expected Rand Water to implement their own solutions as a matter of urgency.

In addition it is unacceptable that Ekurhuleni Metro still have not implemented a Telemetry System (a computer system) that would immediately alert them when reservoirs are running low. The days of using sticks to determine water levels are long gone.

The DA has therefore launched a petition calling on both Rand Water and the Ekurhuleni Metro to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation in order to provide details and timeframes as to when:

  • Rand Water will install independent power supplies at all of its pump stations; and
  • Ekurhuleni Metro will implement the computerised telemetry system.

Rand Water and the Ekurhuleni Metro also need to provide their action plan to repair and maintain water infrastructure as Ekurhuleni is losing 39.8% of its water on a yearly basis and the reasons why the financial statements submitted to Gauteng Treasury showed that at the end of the 2014/15 financial year in June, the Ekurhuleni Metro had only spent 48% of the R127 million budgeted for waste water management and had failed to spend 46% of the R333 million allocated to water services.

The DA’s petition can be signed online: www.petitions24.com/water_crisis

To ensure a secure water supply in Ekurhuleni, even in time of drought, the DA would implement the following steps:

  • Ensure Rand Water’s pump station has an independent power supply so that the station can always pump water;
  • Ensure that the Ekurhuleni Metro implements a telemetry (computer) system which will alert them when reservoirs are running low;
  • Set up a water-crisis war room to allocate scarce water resources as an immediate priority to avoid water outages; and
  • Implement a water maintenance plan, to ensure water loss through leaks is mitigated.

The DA run City of Cape Town loses the least amount of water due to leakages of all metro’s in South Africa with a loss of 16.4% vs a 37.8% loss in the Ekurhuleni Metro.

The DA also has a 10-point plan to fight the water crisis at a national government level:

  • Implement a water pipeline replacement Programme, which is expedited where leakages are worst;
  • Set up a 24 hour call centre, which dispatches repair teams that will fix burst pipes and leakages around the clock;
  • Install special pressure-reducing valves at key points in the water network in order to reduce water pressure in designated water zones;
  • Legislate the use of non-potable water for irrigation in all municipalities in the country;
  • Install water allocation devices, which ensure that indigent homes use their free allocation;
  • Make use of existing pipeline camera technology that can detect leaks and faulty water pipes;
  • Provide better free-allocation of water, to avoid illegal water connections;
  • Ensure that every municipality sets up a system whereby leaking pipes are completely replaced after a set number of complaints by residents and not simply patched over and over again as well as implement a Gravity Feed water supply, and install generators at water pumps to circumvent load shedding water cuts;
  • Implement punitive tariffs for businesses that overuse water, after negotiated limits are agreed to; and
  • Increase mobile water tanker fleets, afforded by immediate cuts in wasteful and fruitless expenditure.

The DA is committed to ensuring that where we govern, all residents have access to water, which is their basic right.

Media Enquiries:

Mike Waters MP

DA Deputy Chief Whip in Parliament

082 902 4523

[IMAGE SOURCE] 

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Water crisis: DA calls Rand Water and Ekurhuleni Metro to appear before Portfolio Committee on Water & Sanitation

Rand Water need to come clean and explain to the residents of Gauteng why its Eikenhof Pump Station reportedly stopped pumping water due to a power failure.

This is contradictory to the information they supplied Parliament assuring Parliament that they will ensure their pump station will have its own independent power supply per site.

The current water crisis in Gauteng – especially in the East Rand – could have been avoided had Rand Water implemented the plan they presented to the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation on 25 February 2015.

Mr Percy Sechemane, the Chief Executive of Rand Water was called before the Portfolio Committee when the DA handed a petition into Parliament when the last water crisis hit the East Rand in September 2014.

The Democratic Alliance wants the following answers from Rand Water:

  1. Why they have not installed the independent power supply; and
  2. By which date are they planning on doing so

Given the crisis that hit Gauteng last year one would have expected Rand Water to implement their own solutions as a matter of urgency.

In addition it is unacceptable that Ekurhuleni Metro still have not implemented a Telemetry System (a computer system) that would immediately alert them when reservoirs are running low. The days of using sticks to determine water levels are long gone.

The DA will be requesting that both Rand Water and Ekurhuleni Metro appear before the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation in order to give deadlines as to when:

  1. Rand Water will install independent power supplies at all of its pump stations;
  2. Ekurhuleni Metro will implement the computerised telemetry system;
  3. Their action plan to repair water infrastructure as Ekurhuleni is losing 39.8% of all its water; and
  4. The reasons why the financial statements submitted to Gauteng Treasury showed that at the end of the 2014/15 financial year in June, the Ekurhuleni Metro had only spent 48% of the R127 million budgeted for waste water management and had failed to spend 46% of the R333 million allocated to water services.

It is unacceptable that the Ekurhuleni Metro has failed to spend just over R200 million allocated to water and sewerage infrastructure during the previous financial year when the municipality had a water crisis last year and another one is now looming.

Media Enquiries:

Mike Waters MP

DA Lethabong Constituency Head

DA Deputy Chief Whip in Parliament

082 902 4523

[IMAGE SOURCE]