MEDIA RELEASE: ACDP response to Tshwane Metro Mayor's State of the City Address 14 March 2008
The
only significant announcement was establishment of a Tshwane Business
Council, which we welcome and trust will be inclusive - small, medium
& large businesses & chambers from accross the racial spectrum
& political convictions. We further trust that it will contribute
to accelerate the economic growth in the Metropolitan area for the
benefit of all our residents.
We are also happy to hear about the planned investments in the automotive industry.
We are concerned about: Crime Although
the Mayor said that crime statistics are down, the ACDP believes that
crime - especially violent crime - is still at a completely
unacceptable level. Why doesn't the ANC approve the residents rights to
protect themselves by controlling access to their areas? Although fight
against crime is primarily a national issue, a Metropolitan
Municipality must do what it can to fight crime and Co-operate with the
SAPS & residents.
Hostels The
Mayor said that the hostels are being replaced by new family units. The
ACDP supports this endeavour. However, we are very concerned about the
serious lack of maintenance on the existing hostels, particularly in
Mamelodi. The new units will take many years to complete. The "old"
hostels have countless broken windows, blocked & overflowing
toilets, blocked drains, broken showers, leaking roofs, refuse piled
all over the place, etc. These conditions lead to health risks and need
to be urgently addressed. We propose a cooperative project with the
residents to improve their diabolical living conditions. We also plead
for fairness in the allocation of the new units. We call on the Mayor
to publish on the Tshwane Website the qualification criteria and lists
of those already residing in the new units, as well as those awaiting
units - in order of prescedence.
Infrastructure maintenance Even
though the mayor said that new infrastructure is being developed and
referred to Tshwane as a "construction site", the ACDP is very
concerned about the deterioration in maintenance of existing
infrastructure, e.g. potholes in roads - which are visible at the
moment, electricity substations - which are not visible, bulk water
systems - also not visible. We trust that the Eskom crisis will bring
some realism and we call on the ANC to bring back the skills of those
who are able and have the experience to ensure that our infrastructure
doesn't collapse completely.
The plans for a "freight airport" The
ACDP disagrees that a freight-only airport is required. We can support
a passenger & freight airport to serve the residents &
businesses from the northern areas, as long as it commercially viable.
It must be built with external funding, as it is not a local authority
mandate to own and operate airports.
Customer service levels The
Mayor said that a report would be serving at the next Council meeting
to address improved customer care. The ACDP supports this, but is
frankly tired of reports without delivery. It has taken 2 weeks for the
streetlights in this councillor's neighbourhood to be repaired. We pity
the ordinary residents who are trying get service.
Child centered City We
welcome the Mayor's statement that she wants "Tshwane to be a Child
Centered City". However, we are skeptical that can be achieved without
adressing the fundamental decay of moral values in our society. How can
a government say on the one hand that it is ok to abort unborn babies
and on the other hand say it will protect the rights of children? In a
recent edition of the Daily Sun newspaper there were more than 90
advertisements of abortionists and "herbalists" advertising their
services. Some of them were offering "safe abortions" up the 8 months
into the term.
Furthermore, same-sex marriage legislation
undermines family values, and sex & nudity on open TV channels
works directly against the Mayors ideals.
Richard Dinkelmann & AnneMarie Sparg ACDP Councillors - Tshwane Metro 083 263 2664