ANC WC slams DA's massive bungle on IRT

RESPONSE TO SOWETAN ON DA MANIPULATION OF IRT FACTS

When municipalities under the ANC underestimate costs, the DA is quick to scream "corruption" and "maladministration".

But when the DA massively bungles on the Integrated Rapid Transport System in Cape Town, with costs ballooning from R1.3B to R4.5B, the party calls it a "significant underestimation" due to "inadequate project management" (see here).

According to Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato, City Council "checks and balances" uncovered the fact that nobody bothered to report cost escalations. That, Mayor Plato, is called "maladministration".

Someone was not doing his or her job. Whether there was fraud or corruption, or not, it is once again the poor that will suffer.

The Council will now only implement routes within the City and from the Airport. Poorer citizens living in outlying areas will have to wait their turn for a quality public transport system?

For the Mayor to say that ratepayers won't experience any "undue burden" is also disingenuous. Capetonians are not fools. The Mayor contradicts statements by his own media manager to the effect that the city would look at raising alternative revenue from parking and fuel levies.

In addition, the City's Financial and Strategic Assessment Report on the IRT explicitly states that it could collect an additional R38m for every one percent increase in property rates.

Statement issued by Oryx Multimedia on behalf of the Convenor of the ANC Provincial Task Team in the Western Cape, Membathisi Mdladlana

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Honesty If it was a bungle, at least it was an honest one, and no deployed cadre made off dishonestly with taxpayer billions. That's one of the differences betwwen DA and ANC bungles : The former are rather modest and due to unforeseen error or . .more circumstance; the latter are spectacularly costly and invariably the consequence of deliberate theft and fraud. Compare for example the IRT with the Airbus debacle; I can't help wondering what that "lost" R17billion entailed, and how many cadres are still smiling. . .less by flebus on November 06 2009, 08:55 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Quick to get forget. Remember the arms deal fiasco? And all the rest, Escom, SAA, Landbank etc........and all the ANC controlled muncipalities! What about ASA??? by Molly on November 06 2009, 09:11 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Honestly...I can forgive the DA I can forgive the DA...because it does not happen all the time and it does not impact my salary.... While you are criticising the DA....please can you ask the ANC not to tax me on an extra 1% because they stuffed up with the . .more SABC???? Thanks Hey! . .less by Dee on November 06 2009, 10:55 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Mdladlana not a job doer Mdladlana was sent to Zimbabwe as an observer in the election before the most recent one. Without ever bothering to leave his hotel, he pronounced the obviously rigged election to be free and fair. He is least qualified to point fingers . .more at others for not doing their jobs. And look at the state of Labour in this country. What has the Minister done to assist in the massive unemployment in the country? His latest gaffe is spinelessly supporting the abolition of labour brokers which would visit more hardship on the hapless under- and unemployed. What a Charlie! . .less by Oompah on November 06 2009, 21:40 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

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