Johannesburg - Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane on Friday promised youths jobs in Diepsloot north of Johannesburg - but only if they vote for his party and it wins the elections in May.
“Across the country, our crucial focus is to build jobs, allow economic activities to take place and we want to achieve the dream of making sure that there is a job in every home,” said Maimane.
He was accompanied on his visit by DA Gauteng premier candidate, Tshwane Mayor Solly Msimanga, and Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba.
The DA leaders engaged with about 50 youngsters at the recently launched Diepsloot Opportunity Centre.
Maimane said the opportunity centre in the area was a symbol of what the DA can do for the people of the province and the country. He claimed that of all the jobs that were created in South Africa last year, more than 60 percent of them were created in areas where the DA governs.
Although the visit was largely peaceful, there was, however, an altercation between DA leaders and the African National Congress ward councillor Matlale Mphahlele, who was visibly annoyed that Maimane and his colleagues visited the centre in Diepsloot ward 95 without informing her beforehand.
Mphahlele said: “Why was I not told that there are people coming to visit the centre? No, we don’t work like that. The protocol must be followed. I am the councillor here ... I was supposed to know if Maimane, Msimanga and Mashaba were visiting".
She accused DA leaders of having no respect for protocol.
Some Diepsloot residents were also upset that the DA leaders arrived "unannounced". Two male residents were so agitated, police were called in to calm the situation.