DA Gauteng Leader Solly Msimanga urges President Ramaphosa to ensure long-term, sustainable solutions for Gauteng's deteriorating infrastructure, stressing that the G20 summit should be a catalyst for lasting improvements for residents.
Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers.
Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga has called for long-term, sustainable interventions to address the ongoing decline in Gauteng and Johannesburg.
In an open letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa, Msimanga criticised the President's recent focus on the G20 summit as the catalyst for action, expressing concern that the government's response to the city's deterioration has been too slow, and motivated more by the international event than the well-being of residents.
Msimanga noted the President's recent visit to Gauteng, where he engaged with Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero and Premier Panyaza Lesufi about the city's poor state.
While Ramaphosa called for improvements to make Gauteng presentable for the G20 summit, Msimanga pointed out that residents have been expressing concerns about the province's degradation for over two decades.
“It is a pity that it took the hosting of the G20, where you want to present a city in tip-top shape to the world, to move you to action,” Msimanga wrote.
He further criticised the ANC's governance, blaming successive ANC administrations for the mismanagement of the province and its municipalities.
Msimanga highlighted that the focus on the G20 summit only underscores the lack of genuine concern for the people of Gauteng.
“The residents of Gauteng have been lamenting the visible degradation of our province for the last 25 years,” he said. Msimanga urged that the hosting of the G20 should not just benefit the city’s international image, but should also lead to tangible improvements for its residents.
After the President’s visit, Ramaphosa announced a multi-level intervention through the creation of a Johannesburg Presidential Working Group to improve governance, finances, and infrastructure in the city.
Msimanga expressed scepticism over the intervention, viewing it as evidence of failure by the local and provincial governments to address Johannesburg’s decay. He questioned whether the group would operate through voluntary intergovernmental cooperation or use a more formal constitutional intervention, such as Section 100 of the Constitution.
“I am not sure what the legal standing of your presidential working group is but I assume it intends to function through voluntary intergovernmental co-operation between the Presidency, the city and the province, or do you intend an intervention in terms of section 100 of the constitution?
Msimanga outlined conditions for the success of the intervention. He stressed that the Working Group must consult the residents of Johannesburg, ensuring that their needs are considered, in line with constitutional requirements.
“It must consult the residents of Johannesburg and ensure that their views and needs are recognised and taken into consideration during the intervention,” Msimanga insisted.
Msimanga also called for transparent oversight mechanisms across all three levels of government to ensure that the intervention is executed according to sound corporate governance principles, ensuring value for money and timely delivery.
“Transparent oversight mechanisms must be created in all three legislative spheres to ensure that the interventions are managed in accordance to proper corporate governance principles,” he wrote.
Msimanga emphasised that criminal charges must be automatically laid against anyone involved in corruption or fraud during the intervention, stressing the need for accountability.
He also highlighted the importance of generating sustainable, long-term solutions to the problems faced by Johannesburg’s residents, warning that the city’s future infrastructure needs to be safeguarded.
To aid in the intervention’s planning, the DA announced the launch of a portal for residents to provide input on areas where the Presidential Working Group should focus their efforts. Msimanga also attached a preliminary submission outlining the DA's proposed focus areas.
“We will also keep a close eye on the work of the Working Group to ensure that proper oversight is conducted over their work,” he said.
Msimanga stressed the importance of sustainable growth and job creation for Gauteng and Johannesburg.
He warned that the province’s deteriorating infrastructure poses a threat to South Africa's economy, as Gauteng is a critical contributor to the country’s GDP.
He urged the President to ensure that the intervention is not a quick fix but a long-term solution that can positively impact Gauteng long after the G20 summit.
''This intervention cannot be a quick fix or short-term focused, it must leave a legacy that we can use to turn Gauteng and Johannesburg around long after the G20.''
The intervention and its accompanying investment must bring about a long-term solution for Gauteng and its residents, he said.
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