The coalition government of Mogale City is making progress to turn around the dysfunctional municipality – despite the efforts of the ANC in the region to destabilise the council as they are reluctant to accept the democratic will of the people.
Under the ANC, the number of people living in informal settlements continued to grow with little effort by that administration to provide basic services such as water, sanitation and electricity. This was compounded by the fact that the portion of people who had access to water and electricity declined between 2010 and 2014.
Instead, the ANC were more interested in enriching themselves.
Two officials working in the office of the previous ANC Mayor had not been at work for over a year, despite each earning more than R1 million per annum. A Councillor from the district municipality had been living in the Mayor’s house free of charge – a house that is paid for by residents.
With each day, more evidence is mounting against the ANC’s maladministration. Irregular expenditure for the 2015/16 financial year amounted to R110 million – money which could have been better used to uplift the lives of residents.
In contrast, the new administration is working tirelessly to redress the wrongs of the ANC. It is strengthening processes to ensure that all deserving individuals will benefit from social assistance, grants and bursaries and not just the connected few who may be family or friends of a politician or who are cadres of a particular party.
The ANC’s sabotage attempts in Mogale City have one purpose. They are not interested in serving the people of the municipality, rather, they are upset about losing out on the patronage networks that have already empowered elite at the expense of the poor majority.