The City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality has in itself an equal share of difficulties, emanating from the transitional period of the political landscape, and as we know, coalition governments define our modern political status quo. However, let us observe the implication thereto, as we address the State of the City.
Post 2016, our City has been governed by various coalitions which introduced a new era in the politics and governance of Johannesburg. This new political reality, has introduced a myriad of challenges, both for governance and politics. More importantly, it has introduced unprecedented levels of instability especially under the various DA-led Multi-Party Governments that have sought to settle political scores as opposed to serving the residents.
As we navigate the terrain to create the most efficient and reliable political system in the interests of our people, as the Government of Local Unity (GLU) we are a government determined to serve the residents of Johannesburg and to meet their most basic needs and expectations of a City government.
Our people want to live and work in a safe and clean City. They want to travel on well maintained and tarred roads. They want to open their taps every morning and find clean running water.
We are committed to good governance, a stable administration, efficient and reliable services for our people, equally across the city;
It is with humility and determination that I share with you the current state of our progress, acknowledging that we find ourselves at a performance level of 66% at the end of the third quarter. While this number may not meet our initial expectations, it is essential to recognise the significant strides we have made despite the challenges we inherited. When we assumed office, we were faced with a fragile state of finances that demanded immediate attention. It necessitated aligning our priorities and rebasing our budget to lay the foundation for sustainable growth and development.
In the face of this daunting task, our administration embarked on a journey of restructuring, making tough decisions, and implementing strategic reforms. We recognised the importance of fiscal responsibility and transparency as pillars for effective governance.
By diligently reviewing our budget, re-evaluating our expenditure and generating more revenue, we have taken steps to ensure that every rand is utilised efficiently and effectively. We have engaged in extensive consultations with stakeholders, listened to the needs of our communities, and allocated resources accordingly.
This rigorous process has allowed us to realign our priorities, focusing on key areas such as infrastructure development and refurbishment, actively engaging with our citizenry, and facilitating job creation opportunities. Although progress has been steady in the three months of the GLU, we acknowledge that there is still work to be done. We are committed to redoubling our efforts and leveraging every available opportunity to propel Johannesburg towards its full potential. We will continue to build a city that thrives, a city that uplifts its residents, and a city that we can all be proud to call home.
However, Madam Speaker, in order to attain this envisioned City, we must first be cognizant of our reality – lest we be accused of daydreaming and doing nothing.
We acknowledge our current reality that Johannesburg continues to battle a number of developmental challenges. Amongst others:
- Spatial inequality persists, with disparities in access to services and opportunities visible across different areas.
- Unemployment rates remain high, threatening the livelihoods of many of our residents.
- A lack of affordable housing has led to the proliferation of informal settlements, exacerbating the living conditions of the poor.
- Crime, especially violent crime as well as gender based violence and femicide, endangers community safety and undermines social cohesion.
- Transportation inefficiency limits mobility and economic productivity.
- There are still gaps in service delivery, affecting access to water, sanitation, energy, and waste management.