DA’s Alderman Tania Campbell was elected as the new executive mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni on Monday night.
ALSO READ: LISTEN: DA’s Tania Campbell is new Ekurhuleni mayor
Campbell took 116 votes to the ANC’s Mzwandile Masina who got 105 votes.
Delivering her speech shortly after her election, Campbell said the challenges in Ekurhuleni are great and it will take a team effort to overcome.
She invited all parties to take hands to build an “exceptional city that residents will be proud to live and work in and for those outside wanting to move and settle their businesses in Ekurhuleni.
“Now is not the time for more promises, now is the time for us to get things done. For far too long our people have been living in conditions that are substandard in Ekurhuleni.”
She said residents have been living in a metro where service delivery is nearly non-existent and where millions of Rands were spent on housing projects, business centres and substations. “And yet there is nothing to show for it. This ends today.
“Today we start the process of giving our people their dignity back. We start the process of ensuring that every tender that is issued is done so in a transparent and fair manner, and that value for money is ensured at all times.”
She reminded the council about load shedding affecting SA and added that Ekurhuleni residents have been subjected to countless power outages, costing businesses money and residents their hard-earned money.
“No more. We will immediately start the process of fixing the electrical problems that seem to endlessly plague our metro. Not having enough supplies in the store to replace simple electricity infrastructure must end so that we can fix power outages quicker,” said Campbell.
“No longer will we be living in filth, as pointed out by the Public Protector due to waste not being collected regularly. This is a direct violation of our human rights and it ends now.”
Campbell reminded the council that access to housing is another right enshrined in the Constitution.
“We cannot have mega housing projects that only exist on paper but not in foundations. Our people cannot be subjected to this slow pace or non-existence pace of service delivery any longer.”
She said service delivery to all residents in the metro can only be delivered if there is interaction with residents.
She said she will soon announce the members of the Mayoral Committee.
Also elected on Monday night as the Whip of Council was Alderman Khetha Shandu from the DA. Shandu served as a DA PR councillor.
“Thank you for placing your trust in me. I have taken my oath and I will abide by my oath,” said Shandu.
The newly-elected Speaker of the Council is Clr Raymond Dhlamini, also from the DA.
