Billions attracted by DA-led government to end loadshedding in Mogale now at risk as ANC-EFF doomsday coalition captures municipality

20 April 2023

The DA in Gauteng express our frustration and disappointment, shared by the people of Mogale, at the unnecessary and opportunistic removal of Executive Mayor Cllr Tyrone Gray of the DA today through a motion of no confidence that put the political interests of the ANC-EFF doomsday coalition above the interests of the people of Mogale.

The motion to remove the Executive Mayor passed 43-34, with the ATM joining the ANC-EFF coalition.

Under the mayorship of Cllr Gray, Mogale’s residents saw how, through constructive political collaboration across party lines, hope can be rekindled after years of ANC-EFF failure, how decay can be turned around through hard work, how local government can improve the delivery of services to all, how a mayor can truly build a relationship of trust with residents.

Cllr Gray led his government from the front and with his feet on the ground. Residents knew that there was no part of Mogale Cllr Gray would not visit or serve.

Across the board, the DA and our reliable coalition allies governed to make Mogale better. Cllr Gray’s government made clean government, clean streets, and clean energy a reality. Mogale, throughout the tenure of Cllr Gray as Executive Mayor, experienced the difference that can be made by local government committed to service and delivery, rather than local government determined to leech off the residents. Competence rather than cadres. Compassion rather than corruption.

The immense work to put Mogale on track to halve loadshedding by 2024, and defeat loadshedding completely within a few years, stands as a testament to the dedication of the DA-led coalition government of Cllr Gray.

The ‘Blue-to-Waste’ energy project, launched a year ago by the coalition government and with construction already underway, is an undertaking of vision and, were Cllr Gray allowed to see through his full term, would have ensured 72MW additional electricity for Mogale’s homes, schools, old-age homes, and businesses. On solutions to loadshedding, the DA and our reliable partners in Mogale walked the walk. As Mogale's energy needs are around 140MW, the project would have delivered half of the power needed by the municipality's residents. Cllr Gray and his team won the trust of investors, managing to attract R7 billion of funding for the project.

Residents would now be justified to see in the ANC-EFF’s capture of Mogale a shameless and corrupt attempt to gain access to these funds and do what they have become known for: feeding at the trough of public money and neglecting those in most need of the services government should by duty deliver.

The DA in Gauteng wants to thank the people of Mogale for supporting Cllr Gray throughout his mayoralty with such open hearts. We want to thank you for inspiring us through your commitment to making Mogale a better place. It is our privilege to serve you and work with you to build a better future. We know that you won’t give up on the future of Mogale – and neither will we. Whether in government or not, the DA will stand with you and fight for you.

To Cllr Gray and all his DA colleagues in Council, we say: in difficult times and through many challenges, you did our party proud. The residents of Mogale might no longer have a DA-led government, and are therefore likely to see progress eroded, services fail, and delivery splutter. But, where the greatest fear of the people of Gauteng is an ANC-EFF doomsday coalition, the greatest fear of an ANC-EFF coalition is a committed and compassionate DA-led opposition.

The fight to make life in Mogale better is one the DA is committed to winning.

Issued by Solly Msimanga, DA Gauteng Leader, 21 April 2023