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Cape Town – After 100 days in office, coalition governments are making progress in turning around the cities they inherited from the ANC, the parties said on Thursday.
DA, Cope, ACDP, UDM, IFP and FF Plus leaders bemoaned the levels of “corruption, neglect and mismanagement” in these municipalities, they told reporters at Parliament.
They formed coalitions in 15 municipalities following the local government elections on August 3. These included Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Nelson Mandela Bay.
ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe said that in Tshwane they had imposed a blanket ban on purchases and leases of new luxury cars for officials, and on lavish lunches, banquets, and inaugural parties.
Other plans for the city included a new recycling plant, and a solar-powered electric vehicle charging station.
In Johannesburg, Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota said one of their successes was the appointment of former Gauteng Hawks head Shadrack Sibiya to lead the city’s anti-corruption unit.
They had initiated an official audit of the housing list to root out corruption.
In Nelson Mandela Bay, the coalition government had banned business and first class flights for officials and the purchase of luxury cars worth more than R500 000, UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said.
Qualifications audits were underway for all senior managers, to expose “unqualified cadres”.
Roads were being resurfaced, vacancies were being filled, and an economic advisory council had been set up, he said.
IFP MP Narend Singh said they were proving the doomsayers wrong.
Progress with coalitions
DA leader Mmusi Maimane said the ruling party had been taught a lesson in democracy in the elections.
“The possibility of coalition governments should excite those who still believe that our country can realise the promise of 1994 – a reconciled, united, prosperous and non-racial society.”
They were making progress with the coalitions, he said.
“The age of arrogant dominant party governance is over, and the era of vibrant, multi-party politics is upon us. Our work in these cities has just begun, and we are confident that working in co-operation we can turn around the cities we inherited from the ANC.”
It would take time, precision, and maximum effort, the parties said.
