DA’s Solly Msimanga on listening tour in Eldorado Park
“My people are going hungry but when we take our fight to the streets they call us hooligans. With a hungry stomach anything is possible, people turn to crime and even drugs, hoping it'll help fill their hunger.” Gaynolina Mattera
The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) mayor of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, Solly Msimanga has been doing conducting listening tours in communities across Gauteng. The purpose of these tours is to engage with residents about the issues they face on a daily basis. The DA premier candidate said in a statement that the reason he decided to embark on a listening tour is because input from residents is a necessary tool for the country to move forward. Msimanga visited Eldorado Park on October 11.
The mayor started his tour in Extension Four, where he met with residents who told him about the issues facing the community. “I am here today to listen to you, I am committed to our people. The manifesto which I will draw up will be based on your concerns and your needs,” said Msimanga.
He added that he was aware of the state in which Eldorado Park is in.
Emmanual Morris, one of the residents who were present at the public meeting said that the community was not moving forward because of the lack of economic development. “Our people don’t have decent housing and this has been ongoing for years now,” said Morris.
“Our community is so rife with drugs and the problem seems never-ending, drug dealers need to be dealt with, they feel like they own this place because even some of our police officers are corrupt, they accept bribes from these drug dealers,” he added.
Another resident, James Lawrence told the mayor that there were no job opportunities in coloured communities and that the reason why so many youngsters turn to drugs is because they have nothing constructive to do. “We don’t even have decent recreational facilities. There are too many open velds that have turned to dumping sites, too many open velds where our people are being mugged, raped and murdered,” said Lawrence.
Pastor Gaynolina Mattera, another resident, told the mayor that local councillors Peter Rafferty and Fazel Jaffer receive no help from upper structures. “Our people get so frustrated with our councillors, not realising that they are doing everything they can. They just don’t get any external help, our community has been forgotten, poverty is a real concern,” said Mattera. “My people are going hungry but when we take our fight to the streets they call us hooligans. With a hungry stomach anything is possible, people turn to crime and even drugs, hoping it’ll help fill their hunger,” she added.
Msimanga listened to the people and said that even though change will take time, he is committed to helping the people. After the public meeting in Extension Four, the mayor visited the EldosFM studios before having another public meeting in Kersie Dorp.
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