The festive season is firmly upon us, providing a brief moment for reflection on the first 30 days of the new multi-party government of the City of Johannesburg.
The 1 November 2021 elections presented residents with a once-in-a-five-year opportunity to bring in a government of their choosing; a government of the people by the people but most importantly, a government that will work for them.
While no single party managed to claim an outright majority, this outcome nonetheless presents us with a great opportunity to deepen democracy and strengthen a culture of multi-party collaborative politics and governance.
Coalition politics are our reality here in South Africa, at least for the foreseeable future. This is a reality that I accept wholeheartedly and I pledge my support to this new spirit of politics in our City.
The biggest highlight, and singular most important honour of my political life, has been my election as the first female Executive Mayor for the City of Johannesburg, in the post-apartheid dispensation.
I believe my election is a monumental moment for the women of Johannesburg, and South Africa. Women must never hesitate to raise their hands and to insist on being heard. We should never hesitate to take up space and take on challenges, not matter how daunting they may seem. Do not wait for an opportunity to come by; go out, seek it and capitalise.
We have just had a change in the administration which has brought about its own set of challenges. The City has deadlines that must be met, including the tabling of annual reports, Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) and adjustment budget.
While many will be relaxing with their families, I will be leading the process of ensuring that these crucial milestones are reached. The 10 individuals who make up the Mayoral Committee are currently undergoing orientation. This exercise is not intended for them to familiarise themselves with the issues. They know the issues very well.
What is under consideration is why the City of Johannesburg has not been delivering services to residents’ satisfaction. This question will underpin the work of the multi-party government in 2022 and beyond.
We will provide water and electricity with the required efficiency and urgency. Roads will be tarred, rubbish will be collected and streets will be lit up. Residents’ hard-earned monies will be put to better use.
My message to all residents is to be part of the solution as we look to rebuild our City. The past two years have been a challenging time for our City. The year 2022 presents us with an opportunity to turn things around.
As an administration, we will create an enabling environment for economic recovery to provide hope of a better life to those who lost their livelihoods in 2020 and 2021. It is our collective responsibility to seek and make use of the opportunities that will come with a working City.
In the New Year, alongside a stellar cast of hard-working Members of the Mayoral Committee and coalition partners, I will tackle key service delivery shortcomings. These include eradicating the backlog of City Power’s ageing and broken down infrastructure, allowing residents of this City to experience less unplanned outages.
The same energy and vigour will be directed towards maintaining, repairing and replacing Joburg Water’s ageing infrastructure while clamping down on leaks and outages.
For too long, residents have received incorrect municipal account statement while revenue has not been collected from those who can but refuse to pay. Revenue collection is the life-blood of any financially sustainable municipality. It facilitates effective and efficient service delivery and without it, basic services would simply not be delivered.
In 2022, I look forward to leading a good governance team that will actively tackle all service delivery shortcomings and backlogs in the City of Johannesburg. By December 2022, I want to be able to reflect on our successes and show residents the remarkable changes we have made and the improvements achieved in basic service delivery.
I want to see Joburg transforming into a City of Opportunity – where anyone from any background is able to realise their potential and enjoy a quality standard of living. I believe that this vision can restore hope to all residents of our great City.
Underpinning this vision will be the multi-party government’s adherence to the seven priorities, which include:
• Quality services to all residents
• A safe and secure City
• A caring, supportive City
• A pro-business and pro-jobs City
• An integrated, inclusive City
• An efficient, well-run City
• An innovative, smart City
To those who will travelling to various holiday destinations, please observe the rules of the road and extend every courtesy to your fellow motorists. We should all aim to bring 2021 to a close with the least amount of carnage on our roads. Remember, Arrive Alive – that is the ultimate goal.
To those who will be staying home, I invite you to explore your City; visit our parks and zoo. Take a trip down memory lane in our museums and enjoy Joburg’s historic sights. Meet new people and make new friends.
Above all, stay safe and see you in 2022. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
24/12/2021