In the last few weeks I have been intimately involved in the ward 58 by-election in Joburg that is to be held on the 7th of November 2012. This ward falls within my constituency. I nearly fell off my chair when I read that the ANC by-election candidate Muhammad Cajee said he is standing as a candidate because his party is in government and therefore he can get more done as the ANC has access to the City purse strings.
The fact is that DA wards are better run, maintained and serviced than ANC wards seem to escape Cajee. His criticism of the state of the ward leaves me even more open-mouthed! Cajee bases his criticism on the fact that the previous ward councillor was a DA councillor. Here are the facts; the ANC has held the area for over 10 years. During that period, the ward saw consistent gradual degeneration.
In the 2011 local government elections the people of the area demonstrated their disgust in not being served, the ANC’s empty promises simply weren’t believed again and voters gave their valuable vote to the Democratic Alliance. The facts are that in the just over 1 year that the elected DA councillor Zaytoon Waja did more for her people than the entire time that the ANC held the ward.
In those few months Cllr Waja was able to resolve ablution facilities at the Transnet Hostels despite Transnet being a national competence, something the ANC could never do. Road markings that hadn’t been painted once under ANC control were done, parks were refurbished and there were town planning and by-law enforcement clampdowns, to mention just a few issues.
The ANC and other parties can try to dispute this but facts are facts. People have seen for themselves the difference that this courageous woman did, often in the face of ANC adversity and disruption. The reality is that Cajee clearly misunderstands democracy and the functioning thereof. The City budget is not owned by the ANC. It is owned by the ratepayers irrespective of what party is in power.
It is the energy and commitment of the councillor representing the people of the ward that matters, not the connections, cadre deployees that it has in the City. The facts are that despite the DA not being in the power, it is DA wards that are better served: Fact.
The reality is that, thanks to ANC corruption, mal-administration and cadre deployment, the City is bankrupt. The billing system continues to be a disaster going back to previous Mayor Amos Masando’s time. Corruption is rife in various City departments. Recently the DA uncovered allegations of massive corruption within the City of Joburg’s Regiments Capital Fund involving billions.
Joburg’s corruption practices go all the way to the top. At the beginning of October the respected Mail and Guardian newspaper reported the Mayor’s wife’s’ conflict of interest in City contracts.
The bottom-line is that the DA’s candidate Osman Cassiem is a humble man who has already demonstrated not only commitment but service in the ward. Already he is dealing with service delivery issues and is achieving results. His courage amazes me; Cassiem, in conjunction with DA councillors, was active in getting a number of City departments together in raiding numbers of illegal businesses, operating in the area. Generally these businesses do not meet by-law standards.
Facts and history do not lie. Action and not wards is what counts. All these have been shown and Osman Cassiem is showing everyone that he has the commitment and dedication that Zaytoon Waja had. That’s a fact.
Yours Sincerely,
Manny de Freitas MP
Shadow Minister of Home Affairs
Member of Parliament for Johannesburg South
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