Executive Mayor Patricia de Lille
In Council on 30 May 2017, the ANC voted against a wide range of service delivery projects to informal settlements and rebates to indigent residents – yet they claim to represent the poor.
They voted against upgrades to informal settlements, in ANC wards.
For city-wide projects in our informal settlements, R27 million in capex has been allocated for water and sanitation projects in Langa, Kraaifontein, Dunoon, Fisantekraal, Enkanini, CT Section, RR Section, Pholile Park, Garden City and Bhurundi in Mfuleni, Imizamo Yethu, Samora Machel, Kosovo and several other areas across the city.
Also city-wide for our Informal Settlements and Backyarder Department, R233,4 million in operating expenditure has been allocated for the installation and maintenance of sanitation facilities in the informal settlements programme.
They voted against electrification projects in ANC wards.
The Energy Directorate has allocated R90 million for electrification projects in informal settlements, new housing projects, and in backyarder dwellings across the city.
They voted against road upgrade projects in ANC wards.
The City’s roads rehabilitation budget over the next three financial years is R369,6 million, which will see city-wide road upgrades continuing in Gugulethu, Manenberg, Bonteheuwel, Bishop Lavis and Imizamo Yethu, among others.
They voted against the provision of R6,6 million to provide free MyCiTi bus rides to the unemployed to enable them to access opportunities.
They voted against a R340 million job creation programme where the City will fund the training of young people so that they can be absorbed by the various industries requiring their skills.
They voted against the provision of free basic services to the poor, rates rebates, and indigent relief to the poor.
The total cost of the social package for 2017/18 amounts to R2,7 billion, which is up from R2,5 billion last year.
Indigent relief for the most vulnerable has been increased from R1,1 billion to R1,3 billion.
Rates rebates worth R1,4 billion will be made available.
The ANC simply does not want to learn and it is because of this that their support in Cape Town dropped by 7% in the 2016 elections.
My advice to the ANC is to join Zuma in moving to Dubai.
In terms of the disruption by the Social Justice Coalition (SJC), it is clear that they are just a front for the ANC.
I have been trying very hard for the past few years to help the SJC understand how the budget works.
They are now just protesting to show their donors that they are doing some work.
If they had listened to the budget being tabled, they would have heard how we are responding to the needs of various communities in Khayelitsha and many other communities.
In terms of the call for street lighting to be upgraded in Khayelitsha, our response is that we will set aside R40 million over the next few financial years to undertake this massive project to improve the lighting situation.
The SJC had ample opportunity during the public participation phase to give input, but sadly they chose to grandstand.
We will not be deterred in our work of getting on with providing quality services to all the residents of Cape Town and we look forward to engaging directly with residents as we roll out these projects in the new financial year.