Quoting former President Thabo Mbeki who said, “We must ensure that today is better than yesterday and that tomorrow will be better than today,” DA caucus leader councillor Vasco Da Gama said while it was good to have dreams looking at tomorrow, and to have great future visions for the city, it was council’s responsibility to focus on practical aspects of making lives of residents better today and not to always look to the future.
This he said is what residents expect and will use to judge if Joburg was indeed a world-class African City or a failed city unable to provide for its residents.
This he said in reference to problems of constant broken traffic lights, illegally occupied buildings, unstoppable electricity cable thefts, potholes that are getting larger while tariffs increased comparatively to the rate of Eskom’s blackouts. “I see no world-class city, but real problems affecting residents every day and a reality that does not match your vision.”
Da Gama pointed to promises made about tomorrow while there was no corresponding implementation of previous plans to solve current problems to make things better. He gave the following as examples;
An unfulfilled promise for free internet access in all 85 city libraries by the end of last year.
The establishment of an office of the Ombudsman to assist residents only a year later and it is still not in operation.
An unfulfilled commitment to purchase 150 new buses for Metrobus this financial year which ends in two months and meanwhile, more bus accidents occur.
An unfulfilled commitment to develop only one housing project, that of refurbishing the Helen Joseph Women’s Hostel in Alexandra despite housing being a desperate need.
An unfulfilled commitment of 2012 to implement the JMPD 10+ initiative which is properly operational only in one region of the city.
Da Gama also expressed concern of leaking water pipes he said cost the city over R1.1 billion and electricity losses of over R1.5 billion from technical problems which increased to R2 billion inclusive of non-technical losses from improper and wasteful expenditure.
Da Gama said the problems affirmed Premier David Makhura’s insistence for improved service delivery by councils and the National Treasury’s concern which has led to guiding local government to improve service delivery.
Details: DA City of Johannesburg 011 407 7118.
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