Mashaba promises 5 per cent economic growth

Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba has asked to be held accountable if the City fails to reach the 5 per cent economic growth by the end of his term in the office.

Mashaba was speaking at the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the City and University of Johannesburg (UJ), University of South Africa (Unisa), and University of the Witwatersrand.  

“I want you to hold me accountable if I fail to achieve a minimum of five percent economic growth,” said Mashaba.

“This City and country without five percent economic growth, we are not going to reverse the unemployment rate that our country is facing.”

Tha mayor added that the City was committed to ensuring that the safety of its residents was prioritised. He said the economy could only grow when there was public safety.

“To build an economy, you need public safety. It has never happened in the history of mankind that you can create an economy without providing public safety. That’s why within six months of taking over we made history with an employment of 15 000 police officers who are undergoing training right now and will be ready to hit our streets by the end of October this year.”

He thanked the three universities for showing interest in working with the government. He said the City would provide student accommodation in buildings that had been hijacked and now reclaimed.

“I made a commitment that I’m gonna take back the city and I am glad that, to date, with the support of the council we have taken 154 buildings that we have already taken back from criminals. Eighty four of those buildings have already been awarded to the private sector to build affordable accommodation for our people.

“We made it clear to the developers that we need a minimum of  30 per cent of these properties to go to student accommodation. Education is not the competency of our City but we have taken upon ourselves as a multiparty government that education is our cometancy.”

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