By: Gayton McKenzie
The Patriotic Alliance will vote in favour of ActionSA’s motion of no confidence against Joburg mayor Thapelo Amad.
We do this not for ourselves but because the residents of Johannesburg deserve better. We voted for this man, which may be forgivable. Not remove him now would be unforgivable.
If the DA, Freedom Front Pus, IFP, ACDP, UIM and others support the removal of Amad, we will need to elect a new mayor. I will put my name in the hat for the job.
I don’t have to be the mayor at all costs, but Joburg has been falling apart and someone needs to step up. It is obvious that Johannesburg has become a mafia city run by criminals. Whoever becomes the mayor must have no fear to break up the criminal cartels and restore the shine of the city of light.
Our city is being strangled by the construction mafia, by Black Axe, by zama zamas, literally hollowing us out from under our feet, but most especially networks of patronage and corruption that penetrate all levels of our city, including the City of Johannesburg’s administration.
The city needs a mayor who will restore law and order to our streets, who is unafraid to fire the proxies of the corrupt, masquerading as officials and who will reignite investment in the top metro economy in Africa.
I will again not take my salary but donate it to charity. I will not use the municipal vehicles or bodyguards. This is not about what I will be able to take but what I am willing to give. It is about service and country duty.
As I did in the Central Karoo, I will work as the Joburg mayor for no more than one year. Only one year is needed to remodel our great city and restore its shine. In the Central Karoo, after one year, investment and hope have boomed.
In Central Karoo, the financial guarantee for the R4.5 billion dry port is in place. The housing projects are going ahead. The civic centre will be built. Perhaps most importantly, many of the small things, the little details, are now being prioritised.
In Central Karoo, I replaced all the pit latrines with flushing toilets and fixed most of the swimming pools, giving children a chance to enjoy their community.
Imagine what is possible in a city of boundless potential. Let’s imagine a better city for our children.
Small businesses have thrived in the Central Karoo. We turned dilapidated infrastructure into free workspaces for entrepreneurs to get a sustainable start. Everywhere you look in Joburg, you can do this a thousand times over, creating an economic boom for all.
People will say they are going “to Maboneng”, to the bright lights, when they speak of Joburg. The City of Gold has always been a beacon of hope to our people and it needs to be a place again where dreams are born and not where they go to die.
Together, we can create a prosperous, safe, and inclusive City of Joburg. It is time for change. What I learnt in Central Karoo is that it is not about me and what I can do. It is about paying attention to what everyone knows should be done but lack the courage to do.
*Gayton Mckenzie is President of the Patriotic Alliance (PA)
