History will judge DA on service delivery in Tshwane

Tshwane Mayor Solly Msimanga, right, addresses media at an event marking his 100 days in office. Next to him is mayoral spokesperson Samkelo Mgobozi. Picture: Jonisayi Maromo/ANA

Tshwane Mayor Solly Msimanga, right, addresses media at an event marking his 100 days in office. Next to him is mayoral spokesperson Samkelo Mgobozi. Picture: Jonisayi Maromo/ANA

Published Dec 13, 2016

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Taps must run, roads must be tarred, more houses built, streets lit, environments cleaned and crime and grime rooted out, writes Kennedy Mdzuli.

Pretoria - Tshwane was a mess when the DA took control of the metro - so said executive mayor Solly Msimanga.

He disclosed this when his government commemorated its first 100 days in office on Monday. The occasion coincided with the signing ceremony of performance agreement contracts of MMCs.

During the pre-election campaigns, the DA promised to turn the city council around, stop corruption, deliver better services and create jobs.

The first signs look good, as the city council launched programmes and mechanisms designed to save money.

It banned blue-light brigades and put an end to projects that were incepted by the previous regime and deemed to be fruitless. The allocation of houses was also fast-tracked.

Projects such as the City Hall and mayoral residence refurbishments, smart meters and TribeOne Dinokeng music festival are under the microscope, some are at forensic investigation stage, while others are in the hands of the police.

Last week, former Northern Cape ANC provincial chairman and MEC, John Block, was jailed for his role in a multi-million-rand corruption scandal, sending a message that action can indeed be taken against government leaders, past and present.

The law also allows for administrators to be held accountable for unlawful expenditure in a personal capacity.

Msimanga said he also had to deal with the matter of the absorption of contract workers. The matter drove the affected employees to march to council in October.

Then there is the issue of the appointment of municipal manager, which has been delayed for two months, with Msimanga saying he did not want to rush it.

In his report, Msimanga wasted no time in repeating that the DA inherited what could only be described as a mess, with unlawful contracts and costly projects.

The journey is still long and hard, but when all is said and done, history will judge the DA administration on the provision of basic services to all residents across the length and breadth of the capital.

The taps must run, roads must be tarred, more houses built, streets lit, environments cleaned and crime and grime rooted out.

These are the bread and butter issues for residents, irrespective of where they live as well as their level of education and wealth.

Pretoria News

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