The recent quality of life survey released by the Gauteng City Region Observatory (GCRO) has found that nearly a third of households are living on the upper-bound poverty line.
This means that these households are surviving on around R1558 a month which is less than the current minimum wage.
Furthermore, the survey also found that unemployment is a key driver of poverty. The current unemployment rate in the province stands at 2 756 000 for the second quarter of 2024.
The findings of this report are worrying and show that the interventions put in place by the Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, to address poverty and unemployment are not working.
Since Premier Lesufi announced his Nasi Ispani programme last year, he has been bragging about the great strides made in reducing unemployment in the province. However, the numbers tell a different story. It tells the story of an initiative that is not working and only creating temporary employment when our residents are crying out for permanent employment.
Furthermore, corruption, crime, and neglected infrastructure hampers investor confidence in the province. This means that where more long-term employment opportunities can be created, the province is losing out on these valuable opportunities.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will not stop calling on the Premier to release all completed forensic reports into alleged corruption. We will also continue to put pressure on the Premier to release the results of the lifestyle audit reports he claims have been completed.
The DA reiterates that if we were in government, these reports would not be hidden in a filing cabinet but would be released to the public, and the recommendations would be implemented as a matter of urgency. Lifestyle audits will also be conducted regularly and made available to the public. This will help ensure that those who stole the public money are brought to book and made to pay back the money. By taking a strong stance against corruption, the DA will create an environment that is conducive to investment and job creation.