Matthew Cook – GOOD Johannesburg
26 May 2021
Yesterday the City of Joburg MMC for Finance, Cllr Jolidee Matongo, delivered a budget speech that could have been mistaken for a decade old campaign speech.
Early in his remarks, Matongo emphasised the need to rebuild and transform the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) into a thriving city, yet his remarks were thin as to how the City will achieve any of “goals” set out for the next financial year. In truth, the MMC’s remarks raised more questions than answers.
While we welcome the MMC’s commitment of R4.4 billion to improve housing opportunities for the residents of Johannesburg, we are cautiously optimistic as to whether the City will fulfil its promise considering that this is a promise that has been made by ANC administrations in the city since the advent of democracy. This then raises questions about when these projects will be completed. Timelines matter to the dignity of many Joburg residents who are without dignified shelter.
We also note the MMC’s intention to allocate a further R675 million to the procurement of more fire engines and R800 million for the acquisition of more metrobuses. GOOD remains sceptical of these promises given that the city’s fleet contracts have been mired in controversy in recent times with the High Court declaring the existing fleet contracts unlawful.
The MMC made little mention of how the city was to get out of these shady fleet contracts and what the implications will be to ensure that residents of Johannesburg can get to work safely and efficiently. Equally whether provision has been made for this winter as to how fires in informal settlements will be managed given the increased use of heaters which often occasion wildfires in these densely populated dwellings.
R175 million has been committed to the provision of food parcels which, given its timing, appears to be more of a party-political campaign gimmick in the run-up to the Local Government Elections in October. If this is the case, then that would rise to the level of an abuse of state resources for narrow political ends.
The MMC also highlighted the troubles at City Power but failed to provide workable solutions other than proposing more tariff hikes to the already overburdened ratepayer.
The MMC was at great pains to assign blame for the current failings in the country’s economic hub.
The simple truth is that the ANC and DA are jointly responsible for the City’s stagnation over the last five years.
MMC Matongo would do well to get off the campaign trail and focus on the needs of the residents of Johannesburg. We need a budget that will rebuild and transform Joburg into a thriving city.
ENDS.