Note to editors: Below is an extract of a speech prepared for delivery this morning at the Kya sands informal settlement in Johannesburg

Fellow South Africans,

I am here today because I have heard about the living conditions in this informal settlement. And I have heard that things would be much worse here if it wasn't for the dedication of your ward councillor, John Mendlesohn.

It was John that took the City of Johannesburg to the Human Rights Commission for failing to deliver basic services and housing in the community. You will remember that, at this time, you had no lighting, one communal tap was shared by 2000 shacks and the only sanitation was the pit latrines that you had to dig yourselves.

It was only when the Commission ruled that against the City that it provided more taps, better sanitation, mast lighting and daily refuse removal.

Since then, John has been fighting for your rights to get proper housing. Despite Mayor Masondo's promise of 12,000 new houses to be built on 19-20 Nietgedacht over two years ago, nothing has happened. The reason is that the money for bulk infrastructure was simply not allocated in the City's budget. He has now taken the matter up with the national Minister for Human Settlements, Tokyo Sexwale. John will not rest until you have the housing you deserve.

These are just a few of the things your DA councillor has done. Like DA councillors up and down the country, he puts the needs of the people first.

But there is a limit to what we can do here in opposition. So let me ask you this: if you think we've done a good job in opposition, can you imagine what we could do for you in government?

If the DA was in government in Johannesburg, this informal settlement would be in the process of being upgraded. In Cape Town, where we govern, over a half a billion rand has been set aside this financial year alone for the upgrade of informal settlements. Since we came into office, we doubled the ANC's rate of housing delivery. And, as every study shows, more people have access to basic services in Cape Town than anywhere else in the country

You don't have to live like this in Kya Sands. You can choose a party that puts the poor first wherever it governs.

The good news is that there is a power-cut scheduled for Johannesburg next Wednesday. But this time it's not load shedding, it's vote-shedding. The DA is on track to cut the ANC's power.

But it is going to go down to the wire. If everybody who wants change comes out to vote for the DA on election day, we can win in Johannesburg.

And when the DA wins, you win.

So, whatever you do on 18 May, make sure you go out and vote.

And vote DA.

Because the DA delivers for all!

Issued by the DA, May 13 2011

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter