Cape Town -
Halfway through her term as mayor, Patricia de Lille has given her administration a pass with flying colours, saying the results of the city’s spending and projects prove that it delivers to all.
On Wednesday De Lille presented her mid-term review to the media, saying the city had lived up to its end of the bargain so far.
Her biggest success, she said, was creating 37 000 Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) jobs for people who were employed temporarily on various city projects. The city’s EPWP programme had been recognised as the best-run in the country, winning two awards. More than R60 million in fortnightly wages had been paid to employees in the EPWP programmes in this financial year.
De Lille also highlighted the city’s recently approved investment incentives scheme for business, where the city will incentivise businesses which expand or set up in certain areas in order to stimulate job creation. A pilot project is under way in Atlantis and the city plans to roll out the incentives scheme to about 70 business nodes across the city.
The city had also provided infrastructure to support economic growth in the private sector by spending R10.8 billion on the capital budget over the past two-and-a-half years.
In transport, the city was establishing itself as the transport authority which would see the city control all modes of public transport. This vision would see public transport being managed with one plan, one network, one ticketing and fare system and one brand.
She also highlighted the city’s urban regeneration programme which focused on areas that were declining by improving social and economic conditions. “The areas selected for inclusion in this project were informed by the city’s commitment to redress and to overcome many generations of spatial and economic exclusion.”
The city boasted the best record of any metro in the country for providing basic services, she said. The rates rebate offered to vulnerable citizens such as the poor, elderly and disabled, had been increased. “We spend 64 percent of our service delivery budget on the provision of services to the poor – the most extensive cross-subsidisation of the poor in the country.”
All the city’s initiatives had been undertaken with the “highest standard of governance and financial management” and the Moody’s International latest credit rating report, released in April, had reaffirmed the city’s strong credit rating of Aa3.
Cosatu general secretary Tony Ehrenreich, who is ANC leader in the council, pre-empted the mayor’s mid-term presentation, saying many areas were still lacking and that the DA administration had failed the people.
Responding, De Lille said: “I’ve seen his statement and I did not see any figures on anything. He is an absolute disgrace for the ANC… he is wearing two caps and not one of them fit him. I hope… the ANC will find a new leader to lead them in council, they are rudderless at the moment.”
Mayor’s highlights over the past two-and-a-half years:
* R3.6 billion spent on roads and utilities infrastructure.
* 37 000 jobs created through the Expanded Public Works Programme.
* Revising over 100 policies to reduce red tape that hampers investment.
Plus:
* Toilets in informal settlements increased from 14 591 to 40 700 since 2006, an increase of 278 percent.
* Since 2006 the city supplied over 21 000 electricity connections to informal settlements.
THE MAYOR’S REPORT CARD
* Cosatu Western Cape’s Tony Ehrenreich: Rating 10/10 for white areas, 3/10 for black and coloured areas and 2/10 for backyarders
“The reality of the City of Cape Town is very different. The following bear reference in relation to the city delivery record: Transport - the IRT busses were rolled out to the historically white areas first, then some service to Woodstock. In spite of promises to the Cape Flats, this is now delayed . The service now goes to the areas where people have private transport and the Cape Flats areas - who most desperately need the public transport - is neglected. The roll out of houses is inadequate and the housing waiting list is still not being objectively and fairly applied. The roll out of services to backyarders has been neglected. The provision of basic services to informal areas remain an area of neglect, with lack of sanitation being the biggest problem.”
* Greater Cape Town Civic Alliance’s Len Swimmer: Rating 2/10
“The Cape Town Spatial Development Framework is ruining the uniqueness of areas in Cape Town. The one-size-fits-all will focus on high densification which is the death knell to the rural feel in some areas, especially the Peninsula. In terms of informal settlements, there is a need for them to be developed fast. Informal settlements are meant to be temporary and the city is moving too slow. There also needs to be more investment into infrastructure, you can’t have development without it, especially with the influx of people. The city is not moving with the times. The city needs to focus on listening to people. Their public participation is not working at all, selective listening is taking place.”
* Social Justice Coalition’s Dustin Kramer: Rating 5/10
“The mayor speaks a lot about the percentage of expenditure to the poor but they have never publicly released data to show how those percentages are produced. Expenditure isn’t everything and in terms of sanitation and refuse collection, large amounts of money are spent on paying contractors to clean and maintain toilets, for example, yet the actual service that residents are getting is inadequate and it comes down to implementing and monitoring services properly. We are seeing large amounts of wasteful expenditure. The mayor certainly faces a complex challenge with informal settlements but there are effective ways (through) resource allocation and better monitoring of services and better engagement with communities.”
* Cape Chamber of Commerce’s Janine Myburgh: Rating 5/10
“The R10.8 billion expenditure to support economic growth was necessary but much more is needed. The EPWP job creation is all good and well but we need more permanent jobs to be created. I do think the mayor promotes an entrepreneurial spirit and focuses on investment such as the incentives policy recently adopted for businesses and Atlantis. I would encourage more engagement with business. There is a challenge that we don’t have a cohesive business brand to market Cape Town as the place to do business. In terms of informal settlements, it is still very clear that many people are still marginalised. Our Moody’s International credit rating is encouraging as governance is of high importance for any business.”
* ANC chief whip Xolani Sotashe: Rating 5/10
“Whatever the city is trying to claim is absolute nonsense. The truth is out that the city has been under spending on its capital budget. Over R2.5 billion has not been spent by the city in the past financial year. There is a lack of prompt response from the administration to deal with issues that are affecting our people. As the ANC we have made the point that we are running a tale of two cities, a city for the rich and poor. In fact we have moved from bad to worse. In reports of human settlements, the city has set low targets but they can’t reach them. De Lille is sympathetic to the needs of the disadvantaged but she is in an unconducive environment with liberals who are very resistant to our communities’ needs. She can’t walk the talk because she does not control the finances of the city. Helen Zille is giving instructions and running the administration.”
Cape Times