The newly elected and sworn in mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, has again echoed his concerns about the number of unemployed residents since the start of his campaign before the 2016 municipal elections.
“Over 800 000 of our fellow residents are unemployed. [They are] out of school and out of work. The challenge before us is daunting yet not insurmountable,” he said in his first speech as the City’s mayor and the announcement of the new Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMCs) on 26 August.
Mashaba said the newly appointed MMCs must create equal opportunities for all.
“The team must help us create an enabling environment for business to create jobs in the shortest time possible. The task before us is massive. Time is limited. Five years is not a long time,” he said.
But Mashaba believes more job creation is entirely possible through partnerships with the private sector and encouraging small businesses to “make money in our city”.
“Small businesses will be my friends,” he said.
In his acceptance speech, Mashaba said the City needs to create an enabling environment for investment and small businesses to thrive which will result in employment.
Watch Herman Mashaba on his first day of office:
“From this evening corruption is declared public enemy number one in this city.”
Mashaba also previously said that a DA-led City of Johannesburg will review the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and within his first six months in office, he will conduct an integrity assessment of all Metro Police officers.
Extended beyond Metro Police officers, a skills audit of all civil servants employed by the City will be conducted, Mashaba said.
“This will ensure that only qualified and ethical people will deal with our people’s resources.”
Mashaba again said in his first speech that if Johannesburg works, South Africa works and acknowledged that the people of Johannesburg expect the change his party promised.
“They expect us to translate into reality the DA’s vision for jobs, better services, and an end to corruption which has plagued previous administrations in our City.”
But the entrepreneur and businessman asked people to be patient saying there are no short cuts to correct years of mismanagement and decay in the City.
