The EFF in Gauteng has described Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s State of the Province (SOPA) as nothing but Pharaoh’s dreams.
Lesufi was addressing SOPA on Monday, at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Joburg.
The EFF party’s spokesperson, Naledi Chirwa, said Lesufi’s speech symbolised the end for the ANC as the governing party in Gauteng.
“The EFF in Gauteng accepts the address as a way for the ANC to bid the people of Gauteng farewell. It is evident that this year’s SOPA resembles last year’s, characterised by a plethora of empty promises and a lack of a tangible and systematic plan to improve the lives of Gauteng province’s inhabitants.”
“The 2024 State of the Province address was anticipated to provide an account of the promises made by the premier last year, 2023. Lesufi continues to lie to the people of Gauteng. In his previous speech, he promised that e-tolls will be a thing of the past.
“Today (Monday), he speaks with forked tongue, telling people of Gauteng that from where he sits, he remains confident that he should be able to end e-tolls. It is clear that Lesufi has no capacity to end e-tolls,” Chirwa said.
She said despite Lesufi’s promises to deliver an answer to the unemployment crisis in Gauteng in 2023, he only created less than 100 000 jobs in the past year, with no tangible projects resulting in permanent and sustainable employment which included the Nasi Ispani scheme, with contracts ending this May.
“On the energy front, despite acknowledging the Gauteng energy deficit at 4 000 megawatts last year and promising to address it with an energy solutions Expo and an 800MW solar project in the West Rand, no progress has been made and no accountability for this failure has been provided.
“Instead, Panyaza Lesufi continues to pretend to be working when he isn’t ,by focusing his efforts on Public Relations over stipulating targets that were reached since the last State of the Province Address in 2023.”
Chirwa said the Red Beret brigade were not shocked by the gimmicks of the premier to fight crime yet there were more than 17 community areas that reported serious crimes in Gauteng more than any other province, contributing 26.9% to the whole country in the 3rd quarter of 2023/2024.
She said 13 Gauteng police stations made up the top 30 police stations accounting for the majority of 17 community-reported serious crimes.
“Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s promise to ensure a safe environment for women and children remains unfulfilled. Crime levels remain high, with Gauteng contributing significantly to sexual assault and rape cases nationally, 20.6% and 204% respectively.
“Under Andrek’s government, Gauteng province continues to have more women raped and suffer sexual assault than any other province, with the province contributing 20% of all rape cases in the country,” Chirwa said.
The premier was faced with a hostile audience as commotion ensued while delivering his speech.
Members of the EFF and ANC hurled insults at each other, resulting in plastic water bottles been thrown at each other.
The Star