Mashaba targets unemployment, corruption
Together we will bring change that creates jobs, delivers better services and fights corruption.
ON his 22nd day at the office (September 13) during his inaugural speech, executive mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Clr Herman Mashaba paid his respects to Clr, Nonhlanhla Mthembu from Naturena, who tragically died during their first council meeting.
He thanked the people who placed trust in him to lead the City of Johannesburg and he assured the residents of Joburg that the new DA-led administration will be a government for everyone, regardless of their vote. “Gone are the days where advantage was achieved by a membership card of a political party or a connection to someone in a position of power.
“We need to start from basics and step by step build a city we can all be proud to call home. The DA has a positive vision and plan for our City, a plan grounded upon our promise to create jobs, deliver better services and eliminate corruption from this administration.
“No one can deny that the biggest challenge facing our City is the soaring unemployment confronting over 800 000 of our people. Almost one in three of our residents are without work, the youth of our city being the biggest casualties of this epidemic.
“Job creation will be the number one priority of this new DA-led administration. We understand that the actual role of local government in job creation is to create an enabling environment for businesses to establish themselves, flourish, and thereby create permanent jobs. Because a job is a means to dignity and self-improvement in a way that can never be achieved by a social grant.
“Small businesses create jobs. They have an abundance of potential waiting to be unlocked and they have the ability to expand into employers of our people. That is why small business development will be the focus of my term in office,” he said.
There will be a roll-out of the programme including 30 cooperatives and 1 070 community members in Rosettenville, Jeppestown, Turffontein, Berea, Yeoville, Bertrams and Kya-Sands during the 2016/17 financial year. Also the R70 million that has been set aside over the next three years for the development of bicycle lanes around the City will be stopped. The project will be revisited when every road in Johannesburg is tarred.
Clr Mashaba said corruption and nepotism are deplorable. It hampers service delivery meant to benefit the people, especially the poor. The new DA-led administration will deal with this swiftly, severely and decisively.
“We will conduct a forensic audit, targeting expenditure and tenders that have raised suspicion. Hear me and hear me well, there will be no slaps on the wrists, there will be no quiet departures or golden handshakes. Those found guilty of corruption and fraud will go directly to jail.
“There was over R5 billion in unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure over the last administration’s term in office. This will simply not be tolerated under the new administration and any case of wrongdoing will be exposed and punished,” he explained.
Another way in which he intends curbing corruption is to break large tenders into smaller pieces. No longer will there be connected middle men receiving tenders with their sole responsibility being to sub-tender to smaller parties.
The mayor said the new administration is here with the support of a variety of political parties. “I would also like to thank the EFF for voting in the best interests of the people of our City. Over the next five years I believe that, together, we will be able to continue putting the interests of our residents first.
“It is time to set aside our political differences and work together with a shared vision for the improvement of the lives of our City’s residents, especially the poorest residents of our City.
“I would like to acknowledge and give a special vote of thanks to the City Manager, Mr Trevor Fowler, for his outstanding work and assistance during this transition and integration process. Over the past three weeks, the administration of our City has demonstrated their commitment to our new vision. I thank them for their professionalism as true civil servants.
“I call on all residents and organisations of this City, our coalition partners, civil society, labour organisations, and the private sector to unite behind this new vision for Johannesburg and work together to realise our potential. Together we will bring change to our City of Johannesburg,” he said.
In case you missed it:
Mashaba and team kick-start Joburg’s revival
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