#IMadeMyMark: Politicians respond to residents’ concerns
LamDel Residents Association (RA) invited political parties to answer questions from the Germiston community.
A number of Germiston residents braved the chilly autumn evening on Thursday to attend the LamDel Residents Association (RA) political party question-and-answer evening.
The event, held at Majestic Garden Centre in Lambton, saw representatives from the DA, Good, VF+ and Cope answering questions and concerns raised by the Germiston community.
The ANC, EFF, Agang and ACDP were also invited to the event but did not attend for various reasons.
“The aim of the event was to ensure our residents were well informed prior to casting their votes on May 8,” said Lornette Joseph, chairperson of LamDel RA.
“When people vote from a place of knowledge, it’s better for everyone, especially our country.
“Often the ‘man on the street’ does not know what each political party stands for, often relying on the media or hearsay for their information.”
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During the evening’s proceedings, each party representative was given the same six questions to answer.
Each party had a maximum of two minutes to answer each of the questions, which focused on job creation, Eskom, housing, education, corruption and local government’s role in provincial matters.
“The questions were compiled by the LamDel RA, based on what the residents in the area wished to know,” explained Joseph.
“The questions were given to the candidates on the evening in writing and the questions were also sent to the parties who could not attend.
“We felt it only fair for every person to answer the same questions as it levels the playing field.”
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Joseph read out each question, offering clarity when needed.
“In regards to job creation, residents want to know how the DA plans on getting jobs in every home?” Joseph asked.
“Is this only a national promise or a provincial one as well?
“To the other parties, what are your ideas on job creation?
“Also, why is the vast reservoir of knowledge, of experience, acumen and working ability of senior citizens ignored in the workplace in both government and private enterprises?”
Cope’s Dennis Bloom was the first to answer.
“If you are going around telling people that you are going to create jobs all over, you need to remember that story is 25 years old,” Bloom said.
“Everyone seems to think our people are stupid by promising them jobs, jobs and more jobs.
“The economy in South Africa is damaged, so how at elections are you going to create jobs?
“We at Cope have never promised anyone jobs and never will. Instead, we want to empower our people.
“We want to give people skills so that they can go on to employ other people,” he said.
DA representative Mike Moriarty then took to the floor.
“A government doesn’t create jobs, a government builds an economy and it is in the economy that jobs are created,” Moriarty said.
“Why must the government be in place if it won’t bother to try do something?
“If you aim at nothing, you are going to hit nothing. So you have to work, put a plan together and say that this plan is the best plan that will take us forward to ensure the people we are going to serve will benefit.”
VF+ representative Anton Alberts said, “The government can’t create jobs, but it can create an environment in which businesses come and create jobs.
“So the government needs to assist businesses from the start so that they want to invest and so that new businesses can start.”
Sam Shabane from Good shared the party’s views.
“We all agree that it is impossible for the government to promise jobs.
“We at the Good Movement say remove the red tape and rather lay down a red carpet for people to start businesses, thereby, creating jobs,” said Shabane.
“When you have people with skills, encourage them to start businesses and encourage the youngsters to go out and be willing to work.”
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Eskom and continued power outages was a burning question at the event.
“What is your plan for Eskom, where we the citizens are no longer having to foot the bill?” Joseph asked.
Bloom was the first to answer again.
“Eskom employs capable people.
“This problem is a now problem as capable people were taken out of their positions and replaced with people who are unable to do the job,” Bloom said.
“What we are experiencing now is a fightback, people are fighting for power.
“We would remove all the rotten apples and bring back the skilled people, regardless of race, who know how to keep the lights on.”
Moriarty commented, “We support the idea that Eskom must be unbundled, but we worry that all that will happen is that three Eskoms will be created.
“What you need is competition.
“Take the power generation unit and make it compete with independent power producers.
“Why is it only Eskom that generates power? It is not something that only Eskom knows about.
“There needs to be more options available.”
Alberts said, “Eskom’s problem is also the country’s problem.
“The obsession with race has allowed the employment of people who cannot do the job.
“We need to look at employing people on merit, with elderly and experienced people being brought in to pass on their knowledge, regardless of race.
“We also need to introduce competition, because at the moment Eskom is the only company in town who can do the job, which is a problem when they aren’t doing the job.”
Shabane said, “Good is also in support of Eskom being unbundled.
“We would ensure that the unbundling is done properly and ensure that qualified people are employed to do the work.
“We believe cheaper electricity will bring the price of other items down.”
With regard to some of the other questions, all of the parties agreed that the housing backlog needs to be addressed urgently and that the standard of education needs to be addressed as the 30 per cent pass rate is a disservice to the country’s youth.
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