Fact: Ward 58 has turned its back on the ANC again

So the dust has settled after the by-election held in ward 58 which covers Fordsburg, Mayfair and surrounds.  It was a tough but also exhilarating and even educational campaign.

The fact is that a “traditionally” held ANC community has again, for the second consecutive time expressed its disgust at the ANC’s continued mismanagement, maladministration and corruption.  The ANC has shown it simply can’t deliver.  No need to take my word for it; simply look at the constant and continuous degradation of the ward under the ANC’s watch!

Facts are facts; previous DA Cllr Waya did more in 1 year despite the ANC’s intimidation, than the 10 years under the watch of the ANC Cllr Pahad.  Fact.

During the by-election campaign I was given a moment of light relief by the local Johannesburg joker Keith Peacock.  I thank Mr Peacock for his letter to the media.  In it he praised the DA and myself in particular by explaining our important media targets. We take communication to the people of Joburg very seriously and thus set targets to ensure that Joburgers are informed and kept abreast of issues.  Unlike the ANC, who have no such targets, we are not interested in gagging or ignoring the important media.

Peacock made me smile as he demonstrated that he and his Party, the ANC, will gladly outright lie at every turn.  The reality is that Zaytoon Waya did indeed live in the ward.  The newly elected councillor, Osman Cassiem is so committed to the ward that he is presently preparing to physically move into the ward.  No ANC councillor has ever done that. Fact.

Peacock then quite correctly talks about business plans, capital projects and the City’s integrated Development Plan.  Indeed these plans were prepared under the tenure of the ANC councillor.  What he doesn’t talk about is the fact that previous Cllr Pahad did nothing to ensure that these plans become reality.  Previous Cllr Waya put these plans into action.  Cllr Cassiem will continue with this action.  Fact.

Peacock makes the statement that I am the DA deployed Member of Parliament for this Constituency.  This is true.  So who is the ANC MP for the constituency?  My guess is that Peacock and most local ANC members don’t know.  The reality is that I’m in the constituency every week with the communities. The ANC is not.  Fact.

Put all these facts together and I’m surprised that the ANC is surprised that they lost this ward!

My prediction is that the ANC will lose it next time too.  I say this because over the next four years the community will see the results of our relentless councillor in changing the face of this ward for the better.

The additional reason that I predict that we’ll win this ward is because the ANC does not understand democracy.   Sore looser ANC candidate Cajee tweeted that the local ANC branch will hold Osman Cassiem accountable “every step of the way”. 

Cajee and his cronies simply don’t understand that Cassiem and all public representatives, irrespective of what tier of government they may serve on, are accountable to people on the ground. To them is who Cassiem will be accountable to and not ANC structures.  This is the way it constitutionally is and that is the way it will be.  Fact.

Now if only we could get the Mayor and his ANC colleagues to understand this Joburg would be a much better place.

The ANC does not and will not understand this and so more and more communicates and more and more wards will turn their backs on the ANC as they seek DA councillors who energetically make concrete positive changes.