In early 2016, a fleet of busses sat in an exposed storage facility with broken windows and damaged tyres.
These buses were supposed to make up a world-class public transport system. A legacy of South Africa hosting the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
Yet, as the years went by, billions of rands were wasted, and here they sat.
Nelson Mandela Bay Metro was in an appalling state.
There had been five municipal managers in the space of five years, each failing to meet their targets.
The ANC mayor was caught up in a serious corruption case with the FBI for allegedly bribing officials to host this Soccer World Cup.
And services like sanitation and transport were abysmal – the amount of bucket toilets had not even halved since ’94.
But then on 3 August 2016 the residents of our city took their destiny into their own hands. By electing a DA-led coalition government, the people of Nelson Mandela Bay ushered in a new beginning.
This coalition government is committed to delivering on our promise to make Nelson Mandela Bay an Opportunity City, a Safe City, an Inclusive City, a Caring City, a Well-Run City and a Forward-Thinking City.
I said in August 2016 that Nelson Mandela Bay would be run according to our Constitution and the laws of our land I also said that we would keep the politicians out of the administration and the administrators out of the politics. This has by and large been achieved.
I believe that this Coalition government has succeeded in disproving the propaganda that we would replace people of a certain race with others of another race and that apartheid would be reintroduced. The DA is a party for all South Africans, and we prove it every single day.
With good governance and a commitment to fighting corruption, the DA-led government ensures that those implicated in corrupt activities faced the full might of the law.
12 000 residents have started to get access to running water and flush toilets for the first time in their lives.
Five and a half thousand job opportunities have been created through the Expanded Public Works Programme.
We have started the process of removing bucket toilets for good, eradicating close to eight thousand bucket toilets, and replacing them with dignified sanitation, with the goal of removing them completely.
We have launched the first ever Metro Police Department with 114 new, fully-trained Metro Police officers, employed to help fight crime and keep the streets safer for everybody. Furthermore, we have opened two Metro Police Satelite Stations, one in Kwanobuhle and one in Bethelsdorp.
And whilst the previous administration made residents wait years and years to get a public transport system, we have launched the Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS) with a new, secure bus depot.
With good governance and a commitment to fighting corruption our DA-led municipality is slowly but surely being turned around.
After being rated the 2nd least trusted metro under the ANC government, we were rated the 2nd most trusted metro – after just one year in government.
But unfortunately, the story doesn’t end here.
With Julius Malema in their pocket, Ramaphosa’s ANC is set on overshadowing this new beginning.
They will stop at nothing to return to power in Nelson Mandela Bay – bringing with them the chaos and corruption of the old ANC administration.
Together, the ANC and the EFF conspired to reject our adjustment budget to stop us from delivering essential services.
They tried to ensure that there would be:
• No new vehicles for the Metro Police to fight gangs with;
• No new lights on high-risk streets to fight crime with;
• No more new pipes or bucket toilet replacements;
• No tarred roads near the Red Location Museum; and
• No more security officials hired.
And together, they supported a baseless motion to remove me and my staff from government.
A city that has so much going for it for the first time in years, suddenly faces taking ten steps back.
Perseverance and commitment paid off when the Adjustments Budget was taken to Council for the second time on 29 March 2018 – it passed!
Despite the ANC and EFFs new attempt to, “steal the city” my colleagues and our staff continue to hold our heads high. And we continue our work for the people of Nelson Mandela Bay.
Ours is a DA-led government that truly cares for the people.
A DA-led government committed to stopping corruption, delivering services and creating jobs. In stark contrast with an ANC-led administration intent on lining their own stomachs with the people’s money.
Every day, we prove that, by working with other parties, we can turn around parts of South Africa that are in an appalling state…
And bring total change.
That will unite our people in realizing One South Africa for All.