2021 Local Government Election Manifesto
A record of action, and a promise of more.
Visit www.theDAgetsthingsdone.org.za
Our to-do list for local government
A record of action, and a promise of more 3
1. Get the basics right 5
1.1 Ensure there is clean water and a sanitary environment for every community 6
How we are getting things done in Nelson Mandela Bay, Drakenstein, Witzenburg, and Johannesburg 8
1.2 Provide a hygienic environment to live and play 9
How we are getting things done in Tshwane, Stellenbosch, Saldanha Bay, and Cape Agulhas 10
1.3 Give residents their power back 11
How we are getting things done across the Western Cape 12
1.4 Create and maintain public spaces for all to enjoy 13
How we are getting things done in Tshwane, Saldanha Bay, and George 14
2. Build world class roads and public transport 15
How we are getting things done in Kouga, Tshwane, Johannesburg, Cape Town and George 17
3. Be tough on crime, tougher on the causes of crime 20
4. Bring jobs and investment to the local economy 22
How we are getting things done in Midvaal, Cape Town, and across the Western Cape 25
5. Collaborate for sustainable housing 26
How we are getting things done in Cape Town, Stellenbosch, and the rest of the Western Cape 29
6. Adopt a holistic approach to keeping communities in good health 30
How we are getting things done in Drakenstein, Johannesburg, and Mossel Bay 32
7. Govern in the interests of the people 33
How we are getting things done in Tshwane and other DA municipalities 36
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The 1st of November is an incredibly important date for every South African concerned about the future of our country and worried about what this future may hold for our children. It is the one day every few years where you, the citizen, get to flex your power. If you think our ship is heading in the wrong direction, it is your chance to put your hands on the wheel.
National elections may get most of the attention, but it is at local government level where the foundations for a prosperous future are built. If we want to get our country to work, we need to get our towns and cities to work. Because you cannot build a functional economy on dysfunctional municipalities.
As a nation, our number one priority must be to get South Africans into jobs. The solutions to almost every other problem in our society will flow from this. Well over 40% of adult South Africans don’t have work. Three-quarters of them have not worked in more than a year, and almost a third have never had a job. That is our crisis.
The only thing that can lift millions of South Africans out of crippling poverty is the kind of economic activity that brings millions of jobs. And this kind of activity doesn’t just happen. It follows good governance. Investors and entrepreneurs make rational decisions. They take their business where they see opportunities and where they know their investment will be safe.
This means they want the same things from a local government as all citizens do. Dependable electricity, clean water, reliable refuse removal, protection from criminals, well-maintained roads, bylaw enforcement, and knowing that public money is safely kept and responsibly spent – these things are all critical for communities, investors, and entrepreneurs alike.
Luckily, these criteria can be measured and compared. Whether it’s the jobs numbers released by Stats SA, or the number of clean audits issued by the Auditor-General, or the municipal rankings by Ratings Afrika, or the results of the Citizen Satisfaction Index, or the value of new investments per metro, the best performer can always be objectively identified. And that best performer, on every single measure, is the Democratic Alliance.
Now, just like investors, ordinary citizens are also rational decision makers, and thousands already vote with their feet every month in search of a better life. They go where they know they will have better access to good education, quality healthcare and jobs. They go in search of the DA difference.
It is now time to take that vote to the ballot paper so that we can bring the DA difference to even more towns and cities. I believe we can turn them into places where all arrive in search of opportunities, rather than places people leave in search of opportunities elsewhere.
I am proud to lead the DA in this election campaign. I am proud that our party runs the best municipal, metro, and
provincial governments in the country, and that we can honestly put forward this track record as proof of our offer. No other party in the country can do this.
Only the DA has a record of action, and a promise of more.
John Steenhuisen Leader of the Democratic Alliance
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Get the basics right
What a DA government will do:
1.1 Ensure there is clean water and a sanitary environment for every community.
1.2 Provide a hygienic environment to live and play.
1.3 Give residents their power back.
1.4 Create and maintain public spaces for all to enjoy.
The challenges in the national context
- South Africa is officially recognised as a water scarce country.
- Over two decades of under-investment has led to old water pipes and infrastructure which increases loss of water. The reality of water scarcity means leaking pipes are a waste South Africa cannot afford.
- On top of aging infrastructure, careless water use and growing urban populations place significant pressure on already weak systems.
- Water crises in municipalities across South Africa reflect government failure at its most basic level. Water is essential to life, health, and economic development. It is the building block to human life and of every municipality.
- Poor water service delivery and illegal land invasions have in many towns exacerbated illegal water connections.
- South Africa’s municipal sewerage system is collapsing. Of the 824 treatment plants, approximately 60 release clean water.
- The deteriorating state of municipal wastewater and sewage treatment management in South Africa is one of the largest contributing factors to the numerous pollution problems experienced in most parts of the country and a major contributor to environmental and human health problems.
Our offer where the DA governs
- A DA government will ensure every community has access to reliable, clean, running water, that is safe to drink and to prepare food. And that there is no untreated wastewater contaminating the natural or built environment (homes, streets, sidewalks etc.)
- Where we are in government, we conduct regular testing of water quality.
- We will ensure our communities are not exposed to raw sewage. We will ensure fully compliant wastewater treatment works, that plant assets are well-managed, and that there is a strategy in place to minimise risks and ensure long-term sustainability.
- We have experience in effectively fighting water shortages and droughts. Working together with residents, businesses, and civil society of the Western Cape, we beat day zero. We will beat it again in other municipalities where we are elected to govern.
- DA governments will ensure there is regular refurbishment and replacement of water infrastructure, as well as reducing reaction times to burst pipes which is essential to reducing water losses and restoring water supply.
- Addressing infrastructure challenges is a long-term solution. Alongside the long-term interventions, the DA will work with other spheres to ensure the roll-out of water tankers with adequate water supply, water tank installation, and alternative water sources for households in municipalities where water provision has collapsed.
- We will develop and implement operation, maintenance and management plans for each municipality to ensure sustainable use of its groundwater resources.
- We will encourage solutions to reduce water consumption such as the use of low- flow, waterless toilet systems, or grey water flush systems. The use of pre-paid water meters would also help residents become more aware of their water consumption. Meters put residents in charge of their consumption and spending so they do not end up with unexpected and expensive bills they cannot afford.
- Wherever we govern we undertake to eliminate pit latrines on municipal land.
- Every DA municipality will develop and implement a water conservancy and water demand management strategy and we will make use of proven behavioural methods to encourage water conservation. Informing households of their water usage relative to other anonymous households and recognising those who consume responsibly can give households a benchmark to understand, measure, and compare their water use.
- The DA will ensure that we do all we can in all spheres of government to protect our aquatic ecosystems on which our water supply depends. This includes removing invasive alien plant species from catchment areas, rivers, streams and dams.
- DA municipalities will encourage alternative water use for households and businesses. We are committed to addressing (and mitigating) the risks associated with the management and use of rainwater, well points, treated effluent, domestic greywater, and boreholes.
- Residents have rights and responsibilities. This offer relies, among other duties, on residents using water responsibly and paying their bills.
How we are getting things done in Nelson Mandela Bay, Drakenstein, Witzenberg, and Johannesburg
Nelson Mandela Bay – Keeping the taps running
Nelson Mandela Bay is experiencing a severe and prolonged drought, with dam levels just below 13% at the end of August 2021.
The City is taking action on many fronts to avoid the catastrophic situation where parts of Nelson Mandela Bay run dry by November this year.
Some of the immediate interventions that the City has implemented to combat this situation include:
- Tripling the rate of water leak repair from 304 leaks per week at beginning of 2021 to 900 per week now. Between Jan. and August, 17 259 water leaks have been repaired.
- Creating greater awareness among residents to use water sparingly.
- Rolling out flow restrictors - beginning with the top 100 high water users.
- Sinking of groundwater boreholes to add 15 million litres per day by July 2022.
- Supplying standpipes, water tanks, and trucks to areas that may run out of water first.
- As well as other interventions like; bringing the Grassridge Temporary Treatment Works online that will add 35 million litres per day, maximising the Nooitgedagt Supply Zone: Phase 3 and constructing of a pipeline to connect KwaNobuhle to the rest of the Metro’s water supply.
Working with the residents in Nelson Mandela Bay we will do everything in our power to avoid running out of water, like we achieved together with the people of the Western Cape.
Drakenstein and Witzenberg – Keeping water losses low
The water loss percentage in Drakenstein Municipality is 16.92%, one of the lowest in South Africa. The national average is 37%. In the ANC-run Mangaung, over R670m worth of clean drinking water was lost within three months due to leaks and burst pipes that were not attended to.
The water loss percentage in Witzenberg Municipality in the 2019/2020 financial year was remarkably only 15% and the average over the past three years, during the peak of the drought, only 17%. The national average is 37%.
In contrast, the ANC-run Emfuleni Municipality loses between 40% and 50% of its water to leaks, illegal connections, and aging infrastructure before it even gets to residents.
Johannesburg – Keeping water losses low
Between 2016 and 2019 the DA in Johannesburg replaced 325km of water and sewer pipes which reduced water leaks from 29% to 19%.
The challenges in the national context
- Across many municipalities in South Africa there is poor provision of garbage removal or collection, with residents living within or near unsanitary conditions.
- Households in these municipalities discard waste into open fields in an uncontrolled way, often as a result of inadequate waste infrastructure. Burning of waste is also a common practice which increases the risk of health and safety issues.
- A shortage of resources and an ever-increasing population are further contributing to more and more waste, making it difficult to collect and dispose of properly.
- South Africa’s few remaining landfill sites are filling up and approaching closure at a rapid and increasing rate, and they are not being replaced by either new landfills, viable alternative waste disposal, or recovery or minimisation solutions.
- Some municipalities do not have a waste strategy or an integrated waste management plan (IWMP).
Our offer where the DA governs
- A DA government will ensure there is effective waste collection and rubbish disposal to protect the environment and the health of residents.
- We will deliver regular refuse collection to formal and informal communities as well as the business sector.
- We will ensure sufficient rural waste collection points that ideally link to local buy-back centres. We will promote and improve recycling where we govern through initiatives such as free drop-off facilities, and the use of online waste recycling maps which connect residents and businesses with all types of waste and buy-back centres.
- In some municipalities weekly waste collection is still done in bags. The DA commits to introducing proper containerized domestic refuse collection wherever possible in municipalities where we govern.
- DA governments will address littering and illegal dumping, in large part by ensuring effective bylaw enforcement of illegal dumping by residents and companies.
- We will include, as part of our strategies, EPWP employment and partnerships with community groups who do clean-ups, particularly in informal settlements.
- Landfills are a critical environmental issue and many municipalities, including DA municipalities, have run out of landfill airspace. This requires optimal management of our landfills, ensuring that disposal of waste is done at properly licensed and regulatory compliant sanitary landfills, waste minimisation, but also repurposing of landfills that have reached their capacity through initiatives such as waste-to-energy projects and transfer stations.
- DA local governments will work with other spheres of government to progressively reduce waste to landfill, in order to ultimately achieve the goal of zero waste to landfill.
- The DA will pass and enforce by-laws that control industrial emissions and other forms of pollution, such as illegal dumping of toxic and hazardous waste.
- It has been estimated that waste pickers collect 90% of the recyclable material for South African households and save municipalities approximately R750 million in landfill space each year. Every DA municipality will have guidelines on the appropriate integration of waste pickers.
- We will ensure that every municipality we govern has an integrated waste management plan.
- Residents have rights and responsibilities. This offer relies, among other duties, on residents making use of bins and other appropriate means and facilities for disposing waste.
How we are getting things done in Tshwane, Stellenbosch, Saldanha Bay, and Cape Agulhas
Tshwane – Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant
In 2016 the DA administration in the City of Tshwane inherited water and sewage infrastructure that had been neglected for many years. The ANC government failed to invest in its maintenance and refurbishment. One of the most prominent examples of this is the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant in Hammanskraal. The plant has been overflowing into the nearby Apies River and polluting it for years.
The new DA administration has worked hard to start turning the years of neglect and mismanagement around. The project to fix and improve the plant is progressing so well that after a site visit by then national minister of water and sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu,
in April this year she committed her department to fund phase two and three of the project.
Stellenbosch – Waste Material Recovery Facility
Stellenbosch Municipality launched a R29 million Waste Material Recovery Facility (MRF) where recyclables are taken, grouped, baled, and provided to companies for use as raw material in the manufacturing of new products.
The MRF has the capacity to process 450 tons of recyclable material per month and employs up to 40 people.
Saldanha – Separation-at-source recycling
Saldanha Bay Municipality successfully implemented a separation-at-source residential recycling project which was rolled out to all seven towns within Saldanha Bay Municipality making it possible for all residential households to participate in weekly door to door recycling.
Through the project 6750 tons of recyclables were diverted from landfill resulting in 69 500m3 of landfill airspace saved. The airspace saved equates to a R7.65 million in capital cost alone, while creating 46 jobs.
Cape Agulhas – Wheelie Bins for Waste
Cape Agulhas municipality is busy rolling out a wheelie bin to every address in the municipal area, including new state-subsidised housing developments. During phase 1 of the project the municipality distributed 7 800 wheelie bins to households, phase 2 will include distribution to businesses.
Wheelie bins allow for the storage of waste on the erven for at least a week, controlling illegal dumping and ensuring a cleaner environment.
The challenges in the national context
- Electricity blackouts in South Africa are getting worse and worse. Before 2008 they were unheard of. Now they are a constant feature of our lives.
- In December 2019 Stage 6 load shedding was implemented for the first time ever, a sign of significant decline. Stage 6 means Eskom cannot support close to 40% of users reliant on them for electricity.
- Energy and electricity security and affordability are an essential enabler that underpins social and economic development in the country. Most of the industry and businesses that exist today were built on cheap, reliable energy.
- The rapid turnover of unsuitable appointments in the Energy ministry has left South Africa’s energy strategy overly politicised and lacking certainty.
- Poorly maintained electrical infrastructure and the hollowing out of expertise through cadre deployment has seen the country lurching between blackouts.
- Despite growing awareness that coal mining is an industry under threat, South Africa as one of the most carbon intensive economies in the world has been slow to decarbonise.
- The stifling regulatory red-tape, technical barriers and complex registration and licensing processes associated with distributed generation, self-generation and wheeling need to be eliminated.
Our offer where the DA governs
- Where the DA governs, we help to free residents from Eskom load shedding, and we improve access to reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity.
- If you live in DA-run Cape Town, you already experience fewer blackouts. The Steenbras Hydro-electrical Power Scheme has reduced load shedding times compared to municipalities not run by the DA.
- DA governments are already at the forefront of the fight to purchase power from Independent Power Producers (IPPs), rather than having to rely on Eskom.
- We support people and businesses selling their excess wind- and solar-generated electricity to the grid for consumption by other users, benefitting both residents and the local economy.
- To promote energy efficiency, we will fight for the national government to implement zero-rating VAT on LED lightbulbs and energy-efficient appliances.
- DA municipalities will strive to make all buildings, streetlights, facilities, and traffic lights energy efficient.
- We will also put in place measures to address cable theft.
- Residents have rights and responsibilities. This offer relies, among other duties, on residents using electricity responsibly and paying their bills.
How we are getting things done across the Western Cape
Cape Town – Reducing the impact of load shedding
The City of Cape Town has succeeded in reducing the impact of load shedding on its residents and businesses through the regularly and well-maintained Steenbras hydroelectric scheme.
Thanks to previous infrastructure investment in Africa’s first hydroelectric pumped- storage scheme, this City-owned, and operated, power station can generate electricity during peak periods to make up for the supply shortfall from Eskom.
During periods of peak demand, water from the upper dam is channelled through the turbine generator to create electricity. This water is then pumped back up to the upper dam at night using low-cost surplus national generating capacity.
The spare electricity generated can be used to make up for the supply shortfall from Eskom, reducing load shedding from Stage 2 to Stage 1 for Cape Town residents or avoiding load shedding altogether.
This innovation mitigates both the economic impact and inconvenience of load shedding and saves on the cost of buying electricity at peak rates.
When national government fails and the lights go out, the DA innovates to keep the lights on.
Stellenbosch, Drakenstein, Mossel Bay, Overstrand, Saldanha Bay and Swartland –
Reducing reliance on Eskom
Six Western Cape Municipalities (Stellenbosch, Drakenstein, Mossel Bay, Overstrand, Saldanha Bay and Swartland) are part of an Energy Resilience pilot project to make municipalities less reliant on Eskom power. The project aims to assist municipalities to take advantage of the new energy regulations, which may include buying energy directly from independent power producers (IPPs).
The project will help municipalities understand the requirements of the new national energy regulations and mitigate related risks, as well as provide for network and operational capacity requirements for energy project development and procurement by municipalities.
Kouga – Access to electricity
In Kouga 1 791 households have, since the DA won the municipality in August 2016, received access to electricity for the first time.
The challenges in the national context
- Aside from fears concerning safety, public spaces in most municipalities are unusable and cannot be enjoyed by residents due to litter, overgrown grass and bushes, streetlights which do not work, and run-down infrastructure.
- The legacy of apartheid spatial policies can still be seen in many of South Africa’s towns and cities. Public spaces, where all people can congregate and feel safe, are essential. In general, there has been under-investment in such spaces, and after more than two decades of democracy, many parks and other public spaces have fallen into decay or are neglected.
Our offer where the DA governs
- DA-run governments will reclaim public spaces currently taken over by lawlessness, litter, and neglect so that they may be once again places for all to enjoy.
- We will ensure resources are invested in keeping streets and public areas clean, including numerous and visible litter bins, appropriate waste sites and disposal mechanisms.
- DA governments will ensure that municipalities cut grass and maintain pavements on a schedule regular enough to prevent overgrown public spaces.
- In government we will put in place a roadmap towards ensuring all streetlights operate using LED lighting. The lifetime of LED lighting is greater, which helps reduce downtimes improving road safety and security. The use of LED lights will also ensure that we can keep local government carbon emissions low. It is estimated that streetlights account for 30-60% of total local government carbon emissions.
- The DA is committed to investing in public amenities, especially in maintaining existing infrastructure, including sports and recreation amenities and libraries.
- We will prioritise the cleanliness, safety, and maintenance of public beaches, parks, and other recreational spaces which in addition to their importance to communal well-being are essential to job-creating tourism. And continue our campaigns to encourage the public to take pride in these spaces.
- Essential to clean, secure, well-maintained public spaces is addressing the root causes of decay, effective enforcement of bylaws, functioning municipal courts and public participation in bylaw formulation.
- Residents have rights and responsibilities. This offer relies, among other duties, on residents discarding their litter responsibly, and helping municipalities attend to matters quickly by logging service issues.
How we are getting things done in Tshwane, Saldanha Bay, and George
Saldanha Bay – Libraries
Saldanha Bay has eight libraries located throughout the municipal area to serve all the communities. Between June 2019 and July 2020, a total of 174 690 people visited the municipal libraries.
Tshwane – Street Lights
After just six short months of being back in office in Tshwane the DA administration had repaired 75 000 streetlights.
George – LED Lights Reduce Costs and Downtimes
In 2018, the George municipality started retrofitting streetlights with modern light emitting diode (LED) type streetlights. The LED streetlights will reduce electricity usage by up to 50% and have a predicted operating lifespan that is three times longer than conventional streetlights, saving electricity and maintenance costs and reducing downtimes.
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Build world-class roads and public transport
A DA government will invest in safe, reliable, and affordable public transport, and well-maintained roads.
The challenges in the national context
- Safe, accessible, and affordable public transportation infrastructure is fundamental for the socio-economic advancement of the country.
- Public transport is often overcrowded and unsafe. Muggings and robberies are frequent occurrences.
- Speeding, drunk and reckless driving, as well as unmaintained roads are among the top causes of road accidents.
- Government-subsidised public transport such as trains lack structured efficiency, despite the timetables on their website. Trains either do not show up at all or they are very late. In the National Household Travel Survey, 37.8 percent of users claimed timetables were not even available.
- Recent research estimates the municipal road maintenance backlog at R242 billion. However, the actual cost is unknown as estimates vary significantly.
- Traffic light outages are a regular occurrence in many municipalities causing delays for people travelling to work and slowing down businesses in providing goods and services.
Our offer where the DA governs
- The DA will invest in safe, reliable, and affordable public transport, and well- maintained roads.
- DA governments will ensure that we accurately measure the cost of the local road maintenance backlog to enable greater efficiency in allocation of budgets.
- We will conduct skills audits in departments to ensure the filling of posts by skilled personnel. We will also include skills capacity and deficits in the annual reports of the relevant authority.
- Where we govern, we will strive to eradicate unclassified roads by classifying roads in rural areas, and push for the overall consolidation of the road network in South Africa.
- In addition to safer roads, we will improve road traffic safety, and road traffic discipline. Some of the ways in which this can be achieved include increased roadside testing of the roadworthiness of vehicles, sobriety checkpoints, and impounding vehicles for a wider range of serious transgressions.
- Ensure effective repair and upgrading of traffic lights to reduce downtimes, especially after rainfall and/or due to load shedding.
- We will integrate public transport systems in metros by using single ‘smart’ ticket systems which allow commuters to use all forms of public transport, such as busses and taxis, with one ticket.
- Partner with the private sector, such as taxi associations, to make sure public transport is efficient, sustainable, and integrated. This can be done by including mini-bus taxi drivers and owners in the Municipal Integrated Transport Plan.
- Encourage competition and innovation to the benefit of the consumer in the metered taxi and e-hailing industries.
- Investigate the feasibility of providing free transport within metros for work seekers, potentially within designated days and hours.
- Make sure that all public transport is safe, well-maintained, and adequate for the needs of the communities it serves, while striving for better accessibility and affordability for everyone, including the disabled.
- Residents have rights and responsibilities. This offer relies, among other duties, on users maintaining the road worthiness of their vehicles, and complying with the rules of the road.
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How we are getting things done in Kouga, Tshwane, Johannesburg, Cape Town and George
Kouga – Sustainable roads
Jeffreys Bay’s eco-friendly (plastic) road scooped two awards at the 9th annual Eco-Logic Awards in September 2020. The road won Gold in the Eco-innovation category and Silver in the Eco-Build category. The revolutionary new approach to the tarring of roads has the potential to increase the lifespan of roads and reduce
maintenance costs while also combating plastic pollution and climate change. The use of recycled plastic (1.8 million plastic bags per kilometre of road) and the manufacturing of the plastic pellets for the tar mix also open up economic opportunities for communities.
Close to R43 million has been pumped into the resealing of roads and more than R3.3 million was spent on tarring of roads – for the first time in more than a decade.
Tshwane – Fixing potholes
Over 10 800 potholes have been repaired by the DA administration in Tshwane in six months since coming into office.
Johannesburg – Road maintenance
Between 2016 and 2019 the DA in Johannesburg resurfaced 938km of roads, and invested R160m to rehabilitate the collapsing M2 highway.
George and Cape Town – Connecting people with opportunities
The MyCiTi and Go George Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems have changed the face of public transport in Cape Town and George. In these cities, people can pursue and access opportunities thanks to safe, reliable and affordable public transport.
Investment in dedicated infrastructure has laid the foundations for a fully integrated system of public transport in Cape Town, George, and their surrounding areas, connecting more and more people as the network grows.
The services also provide innovative transport solutions to people with special needs, including passengers in wheelchairs and persons with guide-dogs.
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Be tough on crime, tougher on the causes of crime
A DA government will invest in localised law enforcement and tackle the local conditions which give rise to crime in the first place.
The challenges in the national context
- In almost every municipality our communities have become monuments to gangsterism, illegal activity, petty and serious crime.
- While there are hardworking officers who do their jobs with integrity there is declining trust in the police because of incidences where law enforcement is involved in protecting criminals and harming members of the public. Between 2012 and 2019 over 42 000 cases were lodged with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) where the accused was a police officer. These cases include serious crimes such as murder, rape, assault, torture, and shootings. However, fewer than 550 were resolved.
- Law enforcement is often inadequately skilled and poorly resourced. This is true of the entire criminal justice system, starting with the unacceptably high investigative caseloads for detectives, causing extremely low conviction rates. This means the police are dealing with the same criminals on the streets repeatedly. A significant part of the problem is the lack of functional specialisation and specialised units e.g. gang units, serious and violent crime units, specialised investigative units etc.
- It is also time to recognize that focusing exclusively on law enforcement to reduce crime and make communities safer is insufficient. Crime is often a symptom of broader economic, political, and social dysfunction. This is where local government has an important role to play.
- Law enforcement is however an essential first step in the stabilisation of crime- affected communities allowing investment, job creation, social cohesion, urban regeneration and functioning amenities and services to follow.
- South Africa desperately needs to modernise and rethink our approach to public safety.
Our offer where the DA governs
- DA governments will invest in localised law enforcement and tackle the local conditions which give rise to crime in the first place.
- DA local governments are at the forefront of municipal law and traffic enforcement while supporting SAPS with their crime prevention mandate. While policing is a national function, we will fight to increasingly devolve it to the provincial and local level.
- We will therefore fight the attempt by national government to impose a single police service and the hijacking of metro police departments and municipal law enforcement. DA governments will take this fight all the way to the Constitutional Court if necessary. We will similarly oppose the attempts to centralise all traffic enforcement in a national traffic service by opposing improper provisions in the Administrative Adjudication
of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) acts.
- Specialised police units e.g. rural safety units should be reintroduced nationally but are important locally too when tailored according to the nature of prevalent crime in the municipality or region. These could include marine poaching enforcement, unmarked “ghost squad” traffic enforcement vehicles to control reckless and negligent driving, metal theft enforcement, and gang and drug enforcement.
- DA municipalities will work with the Department of Justice and National Prosecuting Authority to establish and support a network of municipal courts to ensure the effective processing and enforcement of municipal bylaws and traffic offences, which are core municipal competencies.
- Effective public order policing is essential to trust. Where there are protests the role is to ensure all rights are upheld. A long-term goal is the introduction of the wearing of body cameras by all law enforcement to enhance available evidence in cases against law enforcement.
- We prize partnerships with local stakeholders and will assist to establish and secure resources for neighbourhood watches, crime patrols, and other community policing strategies, such as the use of reservists and the Rent-a-Cop model.
- DA municipalities will invest in the recruitment, training, resourcing, equipping and integration of local law enforcement with neighbourhood watches.
- DA governments will invest in crime information services and smart policing that is information-driven, intelligence-driven, and data-driven. This includes CCTV
cameras, gunfire detection, crime data analysis, integrated and computer-aided call- taking, dispatching and mobile in-vehicle enablement systems that make the police more responsible, accountable and produce crime and business information that allows for effective management.
- We will implement watching briefs for poorly prosecuted crimes e.g. gang violence, rape, farm murders, drunk driving etc. Members of the Watching Briefs Unit attend courts to observe the procedures in court to detect inefficiencies of the police and courts.
- DA governments will focus on ensuring that we are tough on crime but tougher on the causes of crime. Being tougher on the causes focuses on the elements which are in the control of local government. This includes community amenities, recreation and sports amenities, local economic development, urban regeneration, social development interventions, early childhood development support, uniformed school resource officers in high-risk schools and youth camps and cadet programmes, and eliminating exposure to violence.
- The DA will ensure that where we govern, we make the most of the limited policing resources and limited powers we control, by investing in training and ensuring a high calibre of discipline with well-resourced training colleges, ongoing quality training, international training exposure, external review and ensuring that there is a functioning and independent civilian oversight committee and capable internal investigations capacity.
- Residents have rights and responsibilities. This offer relies, among other duties, on residents keeping vigilant and engaged through means such as joining and/or participating in neighbourhood groups, and community policing forums.
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How we are getting things done in Nelson Mandela Bay, Cape Town, Tshwane, Stellenbosch, and Midvaal
Nelson Mandela Bay – Metro Police
When the DA took over the Nelson Mandela Bay metro in 2016, we established the first ever functional metro police department, with 132 officers.
Cape Town – Rural Safety
The City of Cape Town has introduced the Rural Safety Enforcement Unit, made up of 21 officers. The unit works in rural and semi-rural areas like Morningstar, Philadelphia, and the Philippi Horticultural Area.
Officers will adopt a range of patrol methods including vehicle, foot patrols, and motorcycle patrols. They will also host intermittent vehicle checkpoints in their areas of deployment.
Tshwane – Inner-city Metro Police Station
In an effort to make the Tshwane city centre safer the DA administration is establishing a metro police department station which is based in the inner city and supported by 100 metro police officers.
Stellenbosch – Safety Initiative
The Stellenbosch municipality started the Stellenbosch Safety Initiative (SSI) in 2014 to support the local SAPS in the fight against crime. The SSI created a centralised radio communication network that links all the partners in the SSI network, including private security companies (18 companies), neighbourhood watches and local law enforcement to enable fast flow of information and reaction time to incidents.
Midvaal - CCTV and CPFs
Midvaal municipality works with the various community policing forums within its communities and is making a substantial investment towards increased safety by expanding its CCTV network through the acquisition of surveillance cameras and a drone, to allow for policing especially in rural farm areas.
Bring jobs and investment to the local economy
A DA government will focus first on getting the basics right, as the foundation to bringing in investment and jobs. Beyond that we are committed to improving the business environment by making it easier to do business.
The challenges in the national context
- Attempts at local economic development have been marked by white elephants and political vanity projects which most of South Africa’s struggling municipalities cannot afford.
- Economic projects designed around the pursuit of BEE have been used as a vehicle to benefit the local political elite at the expense of the broader community.
- In 2020 National Treasury cut the budgets of provinces by R209.7 billion and municipal grants by R17.7 billion over the next three years.
- For most municipalities Local Economic Development is best served by a focus on basic service delivery, infrastructure development, and assessing regulatory interventions which dissuade business activity at the local level.
- One in every six people who work in South Africa work in the informal economy. Local government is best positioned to help the informal economy thrive.
- The informal food economy employs, directly or indirectly, some three million people. This is more than the number employed in the formal food trade. However, insufficient public infrastructure e.g. water, ablution facilities, waste bins etc. make it difficult to conduct business in the informal economy.
- The lack of proper provision of trading spaces and adequate regulation through issuing of trading permits creates conflict between formal business, formal and informal traders, as well as the health and safety needs of the public.
- Changes and/or removal of demarcated trading areas is often done without consultation of traders.
Our offer where the DA governs
- Where we get into government for the first time, simply getting the basics right will be the biggest contribution we can make to the economic prosperity of residents. Beyond that we are committed to improving the business environment by making it easier to do business.
- DA governments will seek to make it easier to do business by lowering the time, cost, and number of procedures it takes to get a construction permit, register property, enforce contracts, and to get electricity. These are the local government measures used to indicate the ease of doing business by the World Bank.
- Governments do not create jobs throughout the economy, but if they run municipalities well, they can attract the investors and entrepreneurs who create jobs. The Expanded Public Works Programme provides temporary work opportunities and should be used transparently as a launchpad to full employment, not as an end.
- Those municipalities which have achieved delivering on the basics can do more to drive the local economy. Municipalities should invest early in research exploring the competitive advantages of the local economy and lean towards the sectors of the economy which exhibit the most potential for growth.
- We will formalise relationships with strategic business partners in locally significant sectors.
- Municipal procurement will not enrich the politically connected but will reduce inequality by using competent, value-for-money service providers who enable us to deliver reliable basic services and public infrastructure for all.
- Post-pandemic informal trade and economic activity, if proactively and effectively regulated with an enabling approach, will become even more important to local prosperity.
- The impounding of the property of informal traders will be a last resort as sanction for serious offences.
- We will ensure that identification from traders is only requested where there is reasonable suspicion of a violation or illegal activity, or when required for administrative purposes such as the issuing of a trading permit.
- We will ensure that official trading areas are well located in areas with high foot traffic.
- We will ensure that the cost of trading permits is not prohibitive and that there are measures in place to support traders who cannot afford permits, or that there are areas for trading at certain times which do not require permits. Other regulations regarding stand size, health etc. would still need to be met.
- We will provide appropriate infrastructure for informal trading, depending on the type of activity.
- Residents have rights and responsibilities. This offer relies, among other duties, on the public identifying business opportunities and taking advantage of any services their municipality has to offer, as well as vocalising the challenges to conducting business and what the municipality can do to unlock opportunities.
How we are getting things done in Midvaal, Cape Town, and across the Western Cape
Midvaal – Cutting Red Tape
Midvaal set up an Investment and Retention Committee to act as a one-stop-shop for those who want to invest in Midvaal.
Various municipal departments are represented on the committee, including engineering, community service and legal services. The aim of the committee is to allow investors to get all the information they need in one place, including information on identifying sites, available infrastructure, and services and land use.
Cape Town – Ease of Doing Business
The City of Cape Town came out as the top performer in South Africa in the Doing Business Survey conducted by the World Bank.
The City’s performance is measured against other major metros.
Western Cape – Unemployment
At 29.1%, the Western Cape continues to have the lowest expanded unemployment rate in South Africa, 17.3 percentage points lower than the average for the other eight provinces. This is according to the most recent Stats SA Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released in August 2021.
Collaborate for sustainable housing
A DA government will increase the scale of housing delivered through private initiative, diversify housing options, and ensure more people own their homes.
The challenges in the national context
- In July 2020 the ANC in Parliament made the decision to wipe R2.26 billion off the Department of Human Settlement’s budget for 2020-21.
- In October 2020, a further R345 million was transferred from Housing to SAA.
- Despite a national title deeds backlog of more than 893 000, the Department announced that the Title Deeds Restoration Grant will be abolished.
- Between 2018 and 2020, the City of Cape Town has seen R403 million cut from its Human Settlement Development Grant budget, and R155 million cut from its Urban Settlement Development Grant budget. Municipalities across the country are in the same position of having to face demands for housing against the backdrop of reduced funding from national allocations.
- Provinces have been informed by the national Department of Human Settlements that no new top structure projects may be awarded without prior approval by the national department.
- Municipalities which face high influx of domestic migrants and international immigrants are particularly burdened. One of several problems is that variables which feed into the formulas for the equitable share and conditional grants are based on data which does not keep up with migration patterns.
Our offer where the DA governs
- Where we govern, we will support safe, energy-efficient housing delivered through self-build, which helps to diversify housing options and ensure more people own their homes.
- Where we get into local government we will have to work with the reality of reduced budgets for housing.
- We will continue to prioritise the delivery of title deeds to previously built and any new, but limited, state-subsidised housing so that recipients have legal ownership of their homes. This also supports the secondary market for housing as it enables homes to be sold securely and encourages buyers to purchase at fair prices.
- We will release unutilised state-owned land parcels for the purpose of housing developments, taking into consideration the potential for the land to be used for other economic or social purposes. But state land should not lie unused while people are not living in decent settlements.
- Focus will be placed on enabling the densification of existing, well-located, and low density neighbourhoods through appropriate zoning and investment in infrastructure.
- Where viable, we will ensure the in-situ upgrading of informal settlements and provide residents of previously informal settlements with tenure security.
- We will manage lists for housing opportunities, including serviced sites, which are credible, free from manipulation and ensure the development of a standard, transparent, and fair process for selecting beneficiaries.
- We will endeavour to ensure that spatial planning protects our natural environment and heritage for future generations.
- The DA will adopt global best practice in ensuring municipalities have a database of homeless people. It is impossible to tackle homelessness without information on who is homeless and their circumstances.
- In principle no person should be living on the street and the DA is committed to assisting homeless people to re-establish themselves off the street through a combination of socioeconomic interventions. In the medium to long term by
facilitating a growing economy, which gets more people working and earning an income. In the short-term by working with civil society organisations who assist the homeless and working with provincial departments to provide temporary places of safety and other social services. In the immediate short term, where there are no alternatives, the homeless cannot be criminalized.
- The DA will take principled legal action to prevent and stop illegal land invasions.
- Where we govern, we seek to ensure that housing development is safe, structured, and fair and can be delivered with formal services to people on waiting lists.
- Residents have rights and responsibilities. This offer relies, among other duties, on residents not invading land illegally, double-dipping, or queue jumping which slows down housing and service delivery for all.
How we are getting things done in Cape Town, Stellenbosch, and the rest of the Western Cape
Cape Town – Social housing
The City of Cape Town is moving ahead with its plans for affordable social housing in the Cape Town city centre, but also on other well-located sites across the metro.
There are several City-driven projects in the central Cape Town area with major milestones expected to be achieved in the near future. These projects are part of the City’s planned development of more than 2 000 affordable housing opportunities on well-located pieces of land in and near urban centres across the metro to enable greater spatial equality.
The City is also collaborating with the Western Cape Government to drive the innovative Conradie Better Living Model development in Pinelands that is set to deliver 3 600 affordable housing opportunities.
Stellenbosch – Housing App
The Stellenbosch Municipality Housing App was initiated as part of the process of updating the housing demand database. The Housing App is a tool developed for housing applicants to easily gain access to the database, apply for opportunities, and update their information.
Western Cape – Housing and Title Deeds
During the 2019/2020 financial year the DA-led government in the Western Cape delivered 16 217 housing opportunities out of a target of 16 859.
To ensure that beneficiaries become full owners of their houses, the Western Cape delivered 8 491 title deeds against a target of 7 000.
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Adopt a holistic approach to keeping communities in good health
A DA government will ensure that all departments are equipped and work together to minimise the risks which lead to poor health, to respond effectively to health emergencies, and to achieve overall positive health outcomes.
The challenges in the national context
- The Covid-19 pandemic has shown the crucial role local governments play in achieving health outcomes.
- Safe drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene are crucial to human health and well- being. And yet inadequate water infrastructure means that for many of the country’s most vulnerable citizens, these measures for preventing contagion are unavailable.
- Overall, good health depends on having homes that are safe and free from physical hazards. In contrast, poor quality and inadequate housing contributes to health problems such as chronic diseases and injuries, and can have harmful effects on childhood development.
- Households without electricity resort to alternatives which increase their risk of fire related accidents.
- 12 921 persons lost their lives on South Africa’s roads in 2019; furthermore, 12.5% of non-natural deaths are caused by transport accidents. South Africa’s road traffic death rate in 2016, namely 25.9 per 100 000 of the population exceeded the average rates for all middle-income countries (18.0).
- Substance abuse is also an enormous social problem in South Africa with significant health implications. The South African Community Epidemiology Network on
Drug Use (SACENDU) estimates that 80% of South African male youth deaths are alcohol related. Most substance abuse can lead to impulsive behaviour and poor judgement. Alcohol abuse contributes to risky sexual behaviour, increasing the chances of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, as well as liver diseases, neurological disorders, and chronic memory disorders, while opioids, such as morphine and heroin, can result in accidental overdose. Long-term drug abuse can
also affect the physical health of the user, especially the kidneys, liver, heart, and lungs.
Our offer where the DA governs
- Where the DA governs, we will ensure that all departments are equipped and work together to minimise the risks which lead to poor health, to respond effectively to health emergencies, and to achieve overall positive health outcomes.
- We recognise that the good health of a community is dependent on access to basic utilities such as water and electricity, sanitation, housing conditions, safe roads through effective traffic enforcement, and accurate health information, among many other factors which are best responded to at the local government level.
- We will support the targeted phase-out of paraffin as a domestic fuel and replacement with safer alternatives, such as methanol for cooking which has several advantages over paraffin.
- Civil society is a crucial player in promoting public health and achieving health outcomes. We will work with civil society to disseminate health information and to keep an ear to the ground on the health challenges facing communities.
- In particular, we will work with NGOs and other spheres of government to develop a strategy to provide mental health support, and to combat alcohol and drug abuse where we govern.
- DA governments will pass and enforce bylaws to prevent the pollution of our natural environment that can lead to illness or injury.
- Residents have rights and responsibilities. This offer relies, among other duties, on communities taking heed of health information provided to them.
How we are getting things done in Drakenstein, Johannesburg, and Mossel Bay
Drakenstein – Responding holistically to health emergencies
Drakenstein municipality provided more than R1 million rand to NGO partners to spend on food security for residents during COVID-19 lockdown Level 5. Three municipal buildings were equipped and staffed to provide accommodation, ablution facilities and three meals a day to over 170 homeless people during the lockdown.
Johannesburg – Tackling substance abuse
The DA-run government between 2016 and 2018, committed as part of the City’s Integrated Strategy to eradicate substance abuse. As a result, 5 substance abuse centres were opened in Tladi, Soweto (Johannesburg’s first township based rehabilitation centre), River Park, Eldorado Park Extension 9, Joubert Park in the Inner City, as well as the Golden Harvest inpatient facility in Northwold.
Mossel Bay – PetroSA and Mossel Bay municipality Clinic Partnership
Following a need expressed by the community, the Mossel Bay local municipality collaborated with PetroSA (an entity of the Department of Energy) to improve community health facilities in KwaNonqaba and D’Almeida. PetroSA invested
R23.9 million in three projects as part of their corporate social investment programme and the municipality donated land for the construction of a new clinic.
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Govern in the interests of the people
A DA government will be committed to governing in the interests of the people by eliminating corruption, adopting best practices in good
governance, and ensuring the resilience of communities through effective disaster risk management.
The challenges in the national context
- Corruption, appointments of unfit individuals in key municipal functions, and poor planning are features of most of South Africa’s municipalities.
- Increasingly residents no longer expect services to be delivered and provide services for themselves or rely on private companies and community organisations.
- Hardworking South Africans pay rates to corrupt officials and then install their own boreholes for water, their own solar for electricity, and some even fix their own roads, clean their own streets, and ensure their own working traffic lights. There is no meaningful social contract if corrupt and incompetent governments can break their promises without consequences.
- In addition to ineffectively responding to day-to-day service delivery, many municipalities fail to put in place measures to the mitigate the severity or consequences of disasters. Disasters such as droughts, floods, and fires can and do happen. These events can destroy and slow down years of development planning and implementation if the appropriate resources, personnel, and plans are not put in place.
Our offer where the DA governs
- A DA government will be committed to governing in the interests of the people by eliminating corruption, adopting best practice in good governance, and ensuring the resilience of communities through effective disaster risk management.
- DA governments will clearly communicate Service Level Agreements (SLA) and Turnaround times on refuse collection, burst pipes, electrical faults, potholes, and other queries lodged. We will also link each SLA and turnaround time to the responsible political principal/individual to ensure accountability.
- Where we govern, we have a track record of reducing fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and keeping staff costs down.
- We are committed to paying bulk suppliers timeously to avoid any service interruptions, and to pay all suppliers within 30 days.
- If a DA government charges residents interest on rates unpaid, then it will commit to also pay residents interest on fees erroneously incurred or other involuntary credit in their accounts.
- We will ensure that there are effective billing systems to instil trust and to ensure that consumers who can afford to pay do so, which enables our governments to provide better support for indigent residents.
- We will fight corruption by ending cadre deployment and corrupt procurement processes.
- We will develop a supply chain management policy that rigorously checks quality and value for money. This will ensure that problematic suppliers that do not deliver to the required standard will be blacklisted from doing further business with their local government.
- We will ensure government officials are appointed fairly, based on the value that they add to the organisation and not their political connections.
- Where there has been a persistent failure of basic services, and engagements with the municipality have failed to resolve the problem, the DA supports Municipal Residents’ Associations in pursuing all avenues to enforce their rights against local governments.
- We will ensure that effective disaster management plans are in place for municipalities where we govern, with the adequate resources to implement them. This includes adequate fire and rescue vehicles to service every community we govern.
- In the interests of transparency, the DA commits to opening up the tender process at the adjudication stage and opening up Council meetings.
- The DA will modernise government interaction with residents by investing in
e-government so that dealing with the government is pain-free and eliminates reasons to come to a government building in person.
- DA governments will ensure that IDPs are developed in consultation with as many stakeholders as possible. This will allow all residents to have a stake in the development of the town or city they live in.
How we are getting things done in Tshwane and other DA municipalities
Oudtshoorn Financial Management Improvement over the Past Five Years
The Oudtshoorn Municipality that was on the brink of bankruptcy before the DA took over has made great strides in its financial recovery over the past five years.
The cash position has improved over the last 5 financial years, from a cash flow deficit of approximately R110 million in August 2015 to a positive cash flow of R177 million as at June 2020.
Debtor collection has improved from 86% in early 2016 to exceed 96.5% in 2019.
DA municipalities – Clean Audits
For the 2019/20 financial year, 18 of the Western Cape’s 30 municipalities were awarded clean audits and they were all governed by the DA.
Five of the seven municipalities that sustained their clean audit status over four years are DA-governed. They are Witzenberg, Cape Agulhas, Cape Winelands District and Overstrand in the Western Cape, and Midvaal in Gauteng.
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