Ward 87 councillor Bridget Steer, wishes residents a Merry Christmas:
When the Democratic Alliance (DA) coalition took over the City of Johannesburg in August of this year, we were expecting to inherit problems, but nothing could have prepared us for the actual state of collapse in certain sections of the municipality.
Meter-reading contracts were not renewed and City Power was short of critical spare parts; the list is endless. After about 100 days in power, many DA supporters expected these problems to have been resolved.
Unfortunately turning around an entire organisation and reorienting a service culture, is not like flipping a switch; what was broken down over a number of years will take months to fix.
We are also uncovering corruption, cleaning up the City’s tender processes, stopping luxury spending and putting poor-performing senior managers on terms. The DA needs time and support to rebuild the City of Johannesburg in the coming months and this process will be frustrating.
Residents who expected instant change will be disappointed. Folks who have to sit in the dark, or without water, for no good reason, will be livid! But ultimately the changes we are making, step-by-step, will be sound and certain. Our change will be lasting.
In the meantime, I beg residents for their patience and understanding and I wish all residents a safe and happy festive season. I look forward to working with you towards further improving our ward and City in 2017. If Johannesburg works, South Africa works!
You can contact Bridget Steer on 083 604 0404 or email bridget.steer@gmail.com
