Standing together we can deliver for all
Note to editors: This is an extract of a speech prepared for delivery at a public meeting in Witbank, Mpumalanga. Witbank falls under the jurisdiction of the Emalahleni municipality.
Fellow South Africans,
We are joined together today in a human chain. It symbolises the unity of our party. It showcases our diversity. And it demonstrates our common purpose to beat poverty.
If we stand together, we can deliver for all. We can beat poverty.
Some people in government think that fighting poverty is about coming up with complex policies with important-sounding names and acronyms like RDP, GEAR, ASGISA, JIPSA and the New Growth Path.
They don't understand that half the battle is simply getting the basics of government right. If they spent more time focusing on the basics and less time coming up with grand new schemes, we could win the war against poverty.
Our approach where we govern is to get the basics right. It doesn't sound very impressive, but it works. It's a simple formula that will, over time, roll back poverty in our country. It goes something like this:
- Appoint the right people in the right places. Cadre deployment destroys service delivery.
- Open up all government processes to get rid of corruption because corruption destroys service delivery. Corruption is stealing from the poor.
- Cut out all wasteful expenditure on items that don't benefit the people. Luxury cars for Mayors are not a priority.
- Sort out the financial management systems to ensure that revenue is collected and debt is reduced. If people who can pay for services don't pay, service delivery grinds to a halt.
- Prioritise the development and maintenance of bulk infrastructure such as power stations, sewerage plants and water pipes. When these are neglected the taps run dry, sewage spills into the streets and the lights go out. And businesses move elsewhere, taking jobs with them.
- Focus on improving the conditions of the poor, starting with basic services. Those who qualify should get free basic services so that they can live with dignity and emerge from poverty.
This is the formula we apply in the places we govern.
It is why the best Metro in the country for service delivery is DA-governed Cape Town.[1]
It is why Western Cape municipalities are number one in the country for service delivery.[2] It is why more poor people have access to more free basic services in the Western Cape than anywhere else.[3]
It is why the best local municipality in the Eastern Cape for service delivery is DA-governed Baviaans.[4]
It is why the highest-ranking municipality for quality of life in Gauteng is DA-governed Midvaal.[5]
We don't yet govern municipalities in other provinces. But you can be sure that, when we do, they will be top of the league for service delivery within five years.
Here in Emalahleni, only two-thirds of people have access to basic services. Power failures happen because the infrastructure is not maintained. Some people have to go without water - even though the rainfall here is one of the highest in the country - because water pumps and dams are neglected.
If we were given the chance, we would turn things around in this municipality by applying our simple formula. Within five years, this could be the best-governed municipality in Mpumalanga.
But it's up to you.
You can choose five more years of power outages and water shortages.
Or you can choose the DA.
So, whatever you do, make sure you vote in 18 May.
And vote DA.
Because the DA delivers for all!
[1]Universal Household Access to Basic Services Index 2010; Empowerdex study 2009; HIS Global Insight Study 2009
[2] Universal Household Access to Basic Services Index 2010
[3] 2011 Survey by the South African Institute of Race Relations
[4] 2011 Vuna Awards
[5] 2010 Gauteng government ‘Quality of Life Survey'
Issued by the Democratic Alliance, April 23 2011
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