Ekurhuleni’s new mayor has a word
Building up to the elections we embarked on an extensive campaign anchored on a door-to-door strategy
Mzwandile Masina, new Mayor of Ekurhuleni’s acceptance speech.
Good day! Avuxeni! Sanibonani! Molweni! Dumelang! Goeie Môre!
I am extremely humbled and honoured to stand before you today as the new executive mayor of Ekurhuleni.
Thank you for showing faith in me to run this maverick city and I promise that I shall do my best to ensure that ours is a good story to tell at all times.
As a newly elected leader of this metro, I find solace in the words of the great philosopher Maimonides, who said: “Hope is the plausibility of the possible, as opposed to the necessity of the probable.”
Ladies and gentlemen, it is rather sad that we start our term of office with heavy hearts following the demise of a colleague in the City of Johannesburg, Clr Nonhlanhla Mthembu.
This was a revolutionary who joined the struggle for liberation as a youngster and sacrificed everything, so that today we could enjoy this freedom as South Africans. Indeed, we have been robbed of a gem.
I wish to also convey our heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the Stofile family, the ANC, comrades, colleagues and all who knew the late ANC veteran, the Rev Makhenkesi Stofile.
This was a very humble giant of our liberation struggle, who put the interests of ordinary South Africans ahead of his own. This was a great servant of the people whose name will forever be engraved in the walls of history for the role he played in ensuring that we have a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and a prosperous South Africa. Cde Makhenkesi Stofile believed in the founding principles of the ANC, which direct us to put our people first at all times.
Let me also take this moment to pass the city’s condolences to the families of the 11 members of the SANDF who perished in a bus accident in the Free State recently. These were people who had answered the call to put their lives on the line to defend our beloved country and her people.
Indeed, in the past couple of weeks South Africa has been robbed of dedicated and loyal citizens. May their souls rest in peace.
Turning to the positive, I wish to congratulate all our Olympians for putting us on the map in the Rio Olympics. While all of them did their best in their own right, I wish to single out Wayde van Niekerk and Caster Semenya for bringing back gold medals, as the country made history and brought back home a total of 10 medals from the global games. To those that did not bring back anything, we are still proud of you and your turn will come soon. You remain stars in our eyes.
Honourable Speaker, this session takes place as the country celebrates the 60th anniversary of the historic march by women who had had enough of the appalling pass law that was part of the evil system of apartheid.
While a lot has been said about the role of women in the socio-economic space in the country since the beginning of the month, allow me to add my voice and salute all women and emphasise that we, as a city, rate them very highly and remain committed to ensuring their consistent emergence as critical players in all aspects of society.
As the country continues to honour the stalwarts of the 1956 march, this coming Thursday, together with the Gauteng Provincial Government, we will be commemorating the life and times of one of the leaders of that historic march – our own Margaret Gazo, from KwaThema. Wathinta abafazi wathint’ imbokodo.
However, though we continue to celebrate Women’s Month in August, our mothers, sisters and daughters remain the most vulnerable members of society, facing the upward battle against patriarchy, women abuse and lack of access to sanitary solutions and basic healthcare. Indeed, we still have a lot of work to do in this area of our work.
Madam Speaker, allow me in this inaugural address to take this opportunity to thank South Africans for once again deepening our democracy by voting in the recent local government elections.
Thank you for ensuring that this freedom for which many of our stalwarts paid the ultimate price for is appreciated.
Having said so though, let me throw caution to the wind and appeal to all eligible voters to ensure that they practice their right to vote so that they too can enjoy the fruits of our hard-earned democracy lest we risk losing its value.
Let me thank Ekurhuleni voters for once again showing faith in the ANC. Thank you for giving us the mandate to continue leading your struggle for a better life. We thank you for braving the inclement weather on August 3 and coming out in numbers to defend our hard earned democracy. We remain resilient knowing very well that this freedom was indeed not free.
As the ANC in Ekurhuleni, we wish to reiterate our stance that our victory in these elections is dedicated to the 10 ANC cadres who passed on in that tragic bus crash in the Free State on the weekend of our manifesto launch. These men and women died in the line of duty and their memory will forever remain a part of our history for time immemorial.
On behalf of this new Council, we would also like to thank the Independent Electoral Commission for the sterling work they did in presiding over the Local Government Elections.
Gratitude must also go to all political parties who have formed a coalition with us because this is a clear demonstration that they too believe in the ANC-led government to lift our people out of the clutches of poverty, to create employment and to address the inequalities of the past. I wish to take this opportunity to publicly re-assure you that as the ANC we are committed to ensuring that this marriage works. Indeed, you have made the right choice.
Madam Speaker, I would be doing a great injustice if I did not reflect on the political events leading up to this gathering.
At the outset I must thank you people of Ekurhuleni for not selling your souls to the highest bidder.
Let me also make it clear that the “Lord” from London has not landed on our shores even though we are the home to the biggest international airport on the continent. This may have happened somewhere else in the country but certainly not here.
Never did we think our revolution would be sold to imperialists over a dinner plate from the comfort of their homes in London. Indeed, sithandaza uthixo ophilayo Ekurhuleni. Ours is Lord Jesus and not Lord of London.
None of us would have thought that the people of iBhayi (Nelson Mandela Bay) would easily forget who abducted and subsequently killed the Pebco 3; Sipho Hashe; Champion Galela and Qaqawuli Godolozi – 22 years into our democracy. The late Sphiwe Mthimkhulu and Topsy Mdaka of COSAS who were killed in 1982, must be turning in their graves – for their organisation to have produced a Muzorewa of South Africa
None of us would have predicted that the people of Tshwane would forget who hanged Solomon Mahlangu in 1979. At worst, we would have thought those who once quoted his famous speech as he was about to be hanged into the gallows, would at least be conscious enough never to collaborate with the enemy of the revolution – monopoly capital.
None of us would have imagined that as we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Soweto uprisings, the people of Johannesburg, Soweto in particular, would have reduced their glorious movement into the shadow of its former self.
Barney Molokoane did not die in vain. Throughout his entire life he never lost faith in the justness of the cause he championed. He never betrayed his people and his organization, the ANC, at the altar of a position and/or a good life.
It is rather a sad day that having done so much to transform the lives of our people, some have seen it fit to replace the ANC in government in two of the three Gauteng metros. Success stories that come to mind when one thinks of Johannesburg for instance, is the rejuvenation of Soweto into a world class township, turning Vilakazi Street into an iconic tourism area, the establishment of the Midrand business corridor linking Tshwane to Johannesburg, breathing a new life into the Johannesburg city centre via the birth of the vibrant Maboneng precinct, and the introduction of the BRT system which has transformed the movement of our people.
Both the young and old who are either students, entrepreneurs or small enterprises are already benefiting from the roll-out of the Free Wifi which they use for, among others, homework, studies and job assignments.
Yet all this and many more could not convince our people of the track record of the ANC-led governments in transforming Johannesburg and Tshwane.
I dare say, we, the people of Ekurhuleni, the people of Oliver and Adelaide Tambo, Chris Hani, Thomas Nkobi, Margaret Gazo, Sam Ntuli, Cleopas Nsibande, Bertha Gxowa and many other liberation struggle icons were spared this moment not because we are different, but because of our understanding of the true meaning of the struggle for liberation.
People of Ekurhuleni, as the ANC-led government we stand before you today to recommit to serve you. Indeed, we are at your mercy. Your future would not have been in better hands.
Building up to the elections we embarked on an extensive campaign anchored on a door-to-door strategy, attempting to find out from you what your needs and true living conditions were. You took us into confidence and told us that jobs, housing, quality services, corruption and poverty alleviation were on top of your agenda.
Indeed, we felt your anger and frustrations. We heard you and today we want to assure you that this day marks the beginning of the hard work of ensuring that those issues you raised with us are speedily attended to.
In taking forward the agenda of improving the general living standards of Ekurhuleni, we will, together with the collective leadership, both institutionally and organisationally continue to give critical attention to quality service delivery. We have to ensure that through our collective efforts, our communities will see marked improvement in their living standards and living conditions.
Madam Speaker, the ANC-led government has done a lot to improve the lives of our people since the establishment of the metro in 2000. I must thank all my predecessors starting with the late Cde Bavumile Vilakazi (may his soul rest in peace), Cde Duma Nkosi, Cde Ntombi Mekgwe and most recently Cde Mondli Gungubele for having served the people of Ekurhuleni diligently and maintaining a culture of good governance. These cadres laid a firm and solid foundation for this administration to build on and we are committed to take the baton further towards the finishing line.
Some highlights of the past 16 years of the ANC-led Ekurhuleni government demonstrate that we are on the right track.
Despite the fact that we have a history of massive fragmentation; dispersed urban structure of towns with no identifiable city centre; a declining manufacturing base; increasing social isolation and high levels of poverty – in a very short space of time we have stamped our authority as a major player in the Gauteng City Region and the country.
We are the first ANC-led metro in the country to receive back-to-back clean audits (2013/14 and 2014/15); we are the destination of choice for investment according to global rating agency Moody’s, and our water is among the best to drink in the country, hence we have been honoured with the Blue Drop Award three years in a row.
Among other important achievements is that Ekurhuleni continues to lead in curing TB in the country, four of our clinics are in the top 10 ideal clinics in South Africa, we are previous winners of the Bontle ke Botho award for environmental management, and we recently walked away with an award for the best managed landfill sites in Gauteng.
Our landfill gas recovery project won the best Waste Management Project in Africa in the 2013 New Economy and Sustainable Energy Awards and, a few years ago, we were named the Greenest Municipality in the country by the Department of Environmental Affairs.
In dealing with the cancer of fraud and corruption in our supply chain management system, we are the first metro in Gauteng to introduce the public tender adjudication process.
As at end of 2015, 91.5% of households had access to piped water in their dwellings or yards, 91.6% had access to improved sanitation, 88.6% had access to electricity and 92.3% of households received weekly kerbside refuse removal services.
In addition, the city facilitated investment and development proposals worth billions of Rand and huge job creation opportunities for our communities. These include the R51-bn PRASA-GIBELA Rolling Stock Project destined for Dunnottar.
To the youth our challenge is: Uzoyithola janjani uhlel’ ekhoneni! On our side we recommit to creating more opportunities for the youth and yours is to seize them.
Considering the city’s financial position, we are resolute that we are capable to achieve our programme. This is also demonstrated by a budget that continues to build on the advances we have made over the past 15 years.
Our budget demonstrates our resolve to maintain a pro-poor orientation on public spending to improve social development through sustainable provision of basic services. Our capex has leaped from R1.9-bn in 2011 to almost R4-bn this financial year, while our operational expenditure for this financial year stands at R39-bn.
Our prudent and sustained macro-economic policies, as well as consistent and sound budgetary policies, have seen the city become the most financially viable municipality in the country when considering liquidity, net assets and the R7.7-bn accumulated cash reserves. The city’s revenue growth jumped from R16.8-bn in 2011 to R27.4-bn in 2015, owing to our revenue enhancement efforts.
Furthermore, Ekurhuleni remains at the apex when it comes to the most affordable municipal bill for lower income groups of all metros in the country. Our municipal bill is regarded as progressive and favouring the poor.
However, to ensure the sustainability of the EMM, a strategic imperative remains the co-ordination between billing and the actual transaction. This requires accurate billing, alignment between the utilisation of municipal services and the billing of customers, as well as intensifying revenue collection. We shall also be paying special attention to issues of wasteful and irregular expenditure.
Fellow councillors, as this administration we are committed to sustaining the positive track record we find in this metro.
We are certain as this collective that our efforts and endeavours in pursuing the outlined programme of action will position us as this collective to respond to the needs of our people. The programme we have outlined today should assist us to hand over to our communities a better Ekurhuleni and, by so doing, we will be strengthening their hope and faith in the future of our country and its people.
We invite all our stakeholders including all political parties, NGOs, business, youth, community organisations, the clergy and many others to continue working with us as we continue the transformation of Ekurhuleni into one of the mega cities of the world.
We have come this far together and we can get even further if we continue working together for the betterment of the future of this unique city.
As we build a better Ekurhuleni let us together find wisdom in the words of our own icon Oliver Reginald Tambo who said: “We have a vision in which black and white shall live together as equals in conditions of peace and prosperity.”
Ngiyabonga! Hi khensile! Ke a leboga! Ndiyabulela!
*Supplied by Zweli Dlamini, mayoral spokesman.
*Shortened.
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