The DA has welcomed the State of the City Address (Soca) by Clr Mzwandile Masina, but not without identifying several ongoing issues within the metro which the party thinks the mayor should address.
“While you promise a better life for all, Mr Mayor, the housing backlog in the metro is now well over 420 000 units,” said Clr Mabekenyane Thamahane, DA Shadow MMC for Human Settlements in the metro.
“You may have promised 100 000 houses and 59 000 serviced stands by the end of your tenure.
“But the fact that your predecessor only delivered 14 781 houses in his term shows just how capable your party is in delivering change to our people.”
Thamahane touched on previous statements made by the previous mayor, Mondli Gungubele, who promised to eradicate informal settlements across the metro by the end of his term.
This was not achieved, and the DA has described the matter as yet another one of the sad tales of a failing ANC.
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“As the DA, we are so focused on delivering houses that we even sold the mayoral home in Tshwane to deliver 40 RDP homes to people in need and delivered 4 417 title deeds,” said Thamahane.
“In Johannesburg, we handed over 5 145 title deeds and built 1 089 new houses.
“This shows that the DA believes in giving people the security of tenure and land ownership which gives people dignity.”
Masina formed the Anti-Housing Corruption Task Team in September and publicly spoke in the media about its rapid response.
He assured residents this task team would deal with people who wrongfully occupy RDP houses.
According to the DA, the mayor and his cabinet have done nothing with MK veterans who forcefully occupied more than 200 houses in Tsakane Extension 22.
“I have received calls from all corners of the metro wanting our help,” said Thamahane.
“People like Morris Sithole from 6011 Extension, Palm Ridge, and Lenah Hlatywayo from Extension 19, Tsakane, who are still now staying with family despite having their own stands.
“There is someone busy building on Hlatywayo’s stand despite all the documents showing she is the owner of the stand.
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“Housing across the metro is in tatters, we have visited various hostels across the city and it’s saddening to see how our people live.”
Thamahane further advised the mayor to leave his homestead in Meyersdal and visit the hostels in the metro, to witness the appalling conditions that are screaming out for maintenance and repairs.
“Masina, while you may have bragged about the metro’s achievements, maybe it is time you take a hard look at your failures,” he said.
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