Gauteng Premier David Makhura. Photo: Tracy Lee Stark.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura’s state of the province address (Sopa) is nothing more than a mere “plan to plan”, said DA premier candidate Solly Msimanga after Makhura outlined his vision for the province on Monday.
Makhura, in outlining his vision to grow Gauteng, promised to rid the province of social ills, scrap e-tolls and to reflect the full diversity of our the country’s population by ensuring “everyone has a job and earns a living wage”.
While the proposals appear cogent, Msimanga was one of the first to jump to social media to critique the Gauteng premier’s paperwork. Msimanga described Makhura’s speech as repackaged, claiming he had heard the speech before in Makhura’s inaugural speech in 2014.
“The fact that all MECs still have 100 days to formulate plans for their respective department’s highlights that there are still no plans in place to change the fortunes of the people of Gauteng.
“Today we were listening to the state of the planning address, we were not listening to the state of the province address. We were hearing a plan of a plan, how they [ANC] are going to go and plan.”
Considering the premier was not a newly elected premier, Msimanga said parties wanted to get answers to what the premier’s office had achieved.
“How is he going to ensure that they are going to continue with those successes?” Makhura must acknowledge governments’ previous failures and those who have been implicated in those failures must, and should, be booted out.
The ANC government is on a short leash, Msimanga said.
“We’re giving the premier up until August to tackle the issue of e-tolls and if nothing is done, we’re going to bring it, and force for a revote for the premier for lying to the people of Gauteng.”
Makhura’s wishlist envisions a Gauteng where “all human settlements promote social cohesion and integration” and there is affordable and reliable high-speed internet connectivity and a reliable and efficient transport system.
He concluded his speech hoping for a Gauteng with no racism, xenophobia, corruption, and homophobia.
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