The following speech was delivered in Parliament’s debate of the 2019 State of the Nation Address
Honourable Speaker;
Honourable Members;
Fellow South Africans;
The State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President Cyril Ramaphosa, is a clear indication of a government that does not listen to the cries of the people. The cries of the people of before the 8th May elections should have been a rude awakening to the government. South Africans want economic growth that will put a job in every home and provide basic services.
It is in this regard that the Mayor of Midvaal, Bongani Baloyi, who boasts 5 consecutive clean audits, aims at improving the lives of our people through efficient service delivery. With good governance like in DA-led municipalities, changing people’s lives for the better is not a dream, but a reality.
A dream without a plan is just a wish.
Unemployment currently stands at 38%, which translates to almost 10 million South Africans who are without work. Almost 6 million of those are young South Africans. The undertaking by the president that only two million young people will be employed within the next decade does not take into account that more youth will be joining the unemployed on an annual basis.
Uzakubavalela phi abanye abatsha mongameli ukuze lingakhuli eli nani? Mandikulumkise, le ntswelangqesho ifana nethumba elakuthi lakugqabhuka likuxake.
Between the first quarter of 2018 and 2019, the South African economy lost 86 000 jobs, while the DA-led City of Johannesburg created 7 000 jobs in the same period.
Yiyo lo nto iDA isithi uphuhliso loqoqosho maluqhutywe kwizixeko nedolophu zethu. Zizo ezisondeleyo ebantwini kwaye ingxaki zabantu zifika khona kuqala. Angekhe yenzeke ke lo nto ukuba amasela nabarhwaphilizi basaphila kamnandi abanye babo baphakathi kwethu kulePalamente. Khawukhe uthi xha ngamaphupha angenazicwangciso, ngoba uzawude uthiywe igama lokuba ngu President Ramaphupha.
In Tshwane the DA-led administration has managed to attract R4.3 billion in investment which has translated to 43 950 new jobs since we took office. These successes can happen when you run a clean administration and take corrective measures when wrong is identified.
On its recently approved budget, the City of Johannesburg tripled its budget on electrification of informal settlements from R260 million in 2016/17 to R750 million over the next 3 years.
Unlike in Nelson Mandela Bay where councillors and their families were threatened to force them to approve the budget. Kwenzeka lo nto ke kwimbutho yodyakalashe noohlohlesakhe.
In the same vein, City Power has finished refurbishing Roosevelt, Sebenza, Wilropark, Nancefield, Heriotdale, Mondeor, Mulbarton, Pennyville and Waterval substations. This is to ensure that load-shedding becomes a thing of the past and that Johannesburg is open for business.
Alikho ixesha lokuphupha, abantu bafuna iinkonzo kwakunye noqoqosho olukhulayo luveze amathuba emisebenzi.
The DA is concerned with the high levels of violent crimes and the fact that our police don’t seem to be equal to the task. Hence, our call for an honest and professional police service.
To date, five homeless people have been brutally murdered in their sleep in Muckleneuk Park in Pretoria. Learners are killing each other and even educators in our schools. Yet the president chose to keep quiet on crime in general. In order to curb crime, police must be allowed to specialise. Jack of all trades, master of none cannot continue anymore.
In Tshwane, 73 new emergency vehicles including firefighters and ambulances, and 9 service delivery trucks were bought and distributed to the different regions. Similarly, the City of Johannesburg has added 30 new ambulances to its emergency fleet. These will assist across regions for quick and efficient emergency services.
It is only with a DA-led government that services can effectively be delivered to our people. We call on you Mr. President to work with us to improve the lives of all South Africans.
Oku kuyabonisa ukuba iDA ihamba phambili kunamaphupha akho Mongameli. While you are still dreaming of it, the DA has been doing it.
Maz’enethole!