Johannesburg - It’s David Makhura vs apartheid and colonialism.
This was the reaction of senior ANC leaders in the Gauteng provincial legislature during a debate on Makhura’s State of the Province address delivered in Thokoza last week.
MEC for Economic Development Lebogang Maile and MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi were adamant that Makhura’s government would do away with the last vestiges of apartheid and colonialism.
This was despite the fact the ANC had been in power for the past 20 years.
Both said the ANC government was intent on building better roads and houses in Gauteng.
Maile noted that the ANC government had improved the lives of people since it took power in 1994.
“Under the democratic government, we increased the proportion of households with access to flush toilets in the province to 86.5 percent in 2011. Well over 81 percent of people today access electricity.
“The proportion of people 20 and older with higher education in Gauteng almost doubled from 9.9 percent in 1996 to 17.7 percent in 2011. Only 3.7 percent of the Gauteng population aged 20 and above has no education, compared to nearly 10 percent in 1996.”
Maile also said the black middle class had increased to 5.4 million African people – an increase of 3.1 million since 1993.
However, the unemployment rate continued to affect black people more than any other group.
“According to statistics, in 2008 the top 20 directors of JSE-listed companies earned an average of R59 million a year each, while in 2009 the average earnings of an employee in the South African economy amounted to R34 000.”
Maile and Vadi said Makhura’s government was intent on bringing an end to these inequalities.
According to Vadi: “This is the boldness of the premier’s plan to move swiftly to a national democratic social order and to eradicate the social, economic and spatial legacy of apartheid and colonialism.
“The premier called for men and women with the ‘capacity to think ahead, the capability to inspire actions that can turn dreams into reality. And to breathe new life into the vision of the Freedom Charter’.”
He said slum houses would be demolished and new suburbs built “where all have transport, roads, lighting, playing fields, crèches and social centres”.
The IFP called on Makhura to deal with the bucket toilets and accommodation problems that people in hostels were experiencing.
The Star