UNITED FRONT STATEMENT ON THE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NELSON MANDELA BAY METRO – 19 May 2015

Introduction

The United Front (UF) in the region has noted and noticed over time that there have been increased visits by the leadership of the ruling party into the region. The UF has observed these visits as nothing more than political modelling by the ANC, because these visits to change leadership over last six years have not translated to better and meaningful livelihoods to the masses of our people.  Lack of service delivery, unemployment, poverty and inequalities still remain a challenge for the masses of the Metro despite these numerous visits. 

On the Appointment of the new Mayor

Despite his credentials in the liberation struggle, Danny Jordan’s does not have the ability to close the political vacuum that has existed over the last six years in the Mandela Metro. This is what has characterized the Metro in the recent past:

1. The creation of a huge gap between the past and present political leadership and the ruling party and the masses.

2. The absence of internal political democracy within the ruling party. Membership control of the organization has long been lost under the disguise of a misconstrued doctrine of democratic centralism. 

3. The top down dictatorial leadership style. The political modelling done by the ruling party leadership in the Metro has been for nothing else but to create an image of the Metro according to their image in Luthuli House, and not the will and image of the people of the Metro.

4. The deep seated levels of mal-administration, high levels of corruption, factionalist tendencies exacerbated by inapt politicians and bureaucratic leadership style.

5. Lack of service delivery that has left our people hopeless and disillusioned.

The United Front firmly believes that, Danny’s appointment does not represent a break with or from the corruptive conspicuous consumption of the local resources intended to address the cries and miseries of the people of the Metro.

He has been appointed in a commandist style and attitude that sought to reduce the citizenry of the Metro as mindless morons that cannot think.

Therefore the appointment of Danny has got nothing to do with serving miseries of our people in the Mandela Metro, but to give a face lift to the fading ruling party towards 2016 local government elections. It is a known fact that the ruling party lost ground in the region in the recent two successive elections. Therefore Danny is seen by his party as an appealing individual to the masses of our people.

There is little, if any difference between what the ruling party and the Democratic Alliance is doing in putting a candidate now in the form of Athol Trollip for the Mayoral position of the Metro. These are both cheap political tactics. This is not the will of the people. This is not about truly transforming the lives of our people.

But Danny wants to still keep his job as the president of SAFA and be the Mayor at the same time. This effectively means that the man will be moonlighting between SAFA house in Joburg and the City Hall in the Mandela Metro.

But Danny himself knows as a matter of fact that, his presence in the higher echelons of football bodies in the country and abroad did not benefit the people of the Metro generally, but more particularly the Northern Areas where he hails from, in any specific way. He knows he has lost touch with people on the ground for years now. 

It is for that reason that the United Front in this region wants to state it publicly that, there is no Mayor in this Metro between now and the next local government elections in 2016.The working class, the masses and the poor are on their own again as it was the case during the tenure of the out-going Mayor.

Time has come for the citizenry, the working class and the poor of the Metro from all walks of life, to rise up from the slumber, open their eyes, and take their future into their own hands from the scavengers that have seen it proper to sacrifice Danny Jordaan.

The United Front is the only discipline voice; a centre of progressive reasoning, the only directional campus is the future of effective quality service delivery.

The United Front calls on all the people of the Metro and their organizations to join the United Front in a programme of action to challenge the municipality on its failures and for the people to people the municipality they want in democratic way.

Statement issued on behalf of the United Front Eastern Cape by Mziyanda Twani, United Front Coordinator, May 19 2015