As predicted, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi missed yet another opportunity to present to Gauteng residents what he would do differently to improve their lives. Once more, the Premier has chosen to mislead, by claiming easy victories, and making more promises instead of presenting practical solutions to the multiple challenges faced by our residents.
As anticipated, economic corridors were a primary focus for the Premier. According to the Premier, each corridor has attracted investors and generated jobs. However, the reality is that these initiatives are largely a failure. Many of the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) are facing challenges in functioning efficiently, and even those few that have succeeded have not done so due to the efforts of the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG). Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) is the only SEZ that is remotely a success; hence, it was conveniently selected to host the 2025 SOPA by the GPG.
In reality, TASEZ is not a brainchild of the GPG; it’s a collaborative venture between the national Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition, which provides financial support for investor-related infrastructure through its SEZ fund, while the Gauteng Department of Economic Development and the City of Tshwane provide limited financial support and the resources necessary to manage and implement the SEZ.
Premier Lesufi talks about how TASEZ is creating new jobs for Gauteng residents. Sadly, the jobs created have not made a dent to over 2.5 million Gauteng residents who are currently unemployed as per the third quarterly report of the Labour Force Survey.
Lesufi highlights 13 problems confronting Gauteng what he fails to acknowledge is that these are ANC created problems. While he is spot on identifying issues we don’t trust that the solutions for these problems will be implemented.
On the first problem – water – Panyaza heeded the call of the Democratic Alliance (DA) and apologised for failing the people of Gauteng by subjecting them to a stone age crisis. However, the decision to give City Power control over the management of this challenge is not only unwise but also demonstrates a lack of ideas on how to solve the challenges confronting Gauteng. If Lesufi had a grasp of the issues, he would have known that City Power is battling to manage its own affairs and can ill-afford to take on more responsibilities. This is the same utility that recently sought the intervention of the Minister of Energy to resolve its billing dispute with Eskom.
We will be monitoring the Lesotho Highlands water line project that has been long overdue but rehashed and repacked to give the impression that GPG is responding to the water crisis in the province.
In terms of cable theft and vandalism, he boasts about the arrests that they have made in closing down illegal scrapyards. Furthermore, he promises to install high-alert locks and a 24-hour response team. We wait to see whether all these high-end technological promises will be realised because this is the same government struggling to supply the panic buttons it committed to hand over to the people of Gauteng.
With roads, he promises to fix potholes and all nonfunctioning traffic lights. Unfortunately, recent failures by Department of Roads and Transport to spend on its allocated budget to fix these challenges provide no hope that Lesufi’s promise will be realised. How is this department going to be able to fix potholes within 72 hours when it has not done so in Lesufi’s entire tenure? We will be monitoring this turnaround time which seems like pie in the sky.
On Crime, Panyaza boasts about the Gauteng Crime Wardens (Amapanyaza) going as far as claiming that the decline in crime is due to their efforts. We all know that this is his personal squad that is only visible wherever he is and not fighting crime in our communities. The expansion of their territory will be of no value for Gauteng residents because their main mission is not to protect our people but to serve the political ambitions of Lesufi.
Lesufi further misleads the residents and says that the helicopters are the reason for the decline in crime. But Gauteng residents cannot attest to ever seeing any of these helicopters in their communities. People in Gauteng continue to live in fear of violent crime and not getting any return for the money invested in these crime-fighting initiatives.
He speaks about SANRAL monitoring our roads and helping to fight crime. But where is the Central Command Centre that the people of Gauteng have been promised?
In terms of land invasion, he talks about introducing an anti-land-invasion unit to amplify the success already made in dealing with land invasion. But this is another failed promise because land continues to be invaded and one doubts if the new unit set up to fight the scourge will make any difference.
Lesufi talks about introducing a Great Central Mixed Housing Project that will yield 81 000 housing units. Yet, many incomplete and abandoned housing projects in Gauteng should be benefiting residents but are idling with no hope of completion and handover.
He talks about land parcels to be handed over to Gauteng residents, this has been a repeated promise followed by no action. This is because the incompetent Department of Human Settlements has constantly failed to meet the land parcel distribution targets.
Again, Lesufi talks about improving hostels, going as far as naming a few. But as we know, Lesufi, speaks with a forked tongue because he has before declared that hostels are not his responsibility but that of municipalities. We wonder if he will not return to default settings and tell hostel residents that they are on their own. He claims that six hostels out of 65 have WIFI. But who needs a WIFI when living in a hostel without water, electricity, and proper sewage system?
On gender-based violence, Panyaza asks the people of Gauteng to accept that our men hate women. But the truth of the matter is that the Gauteng government loathes women hence it has crippled shelters responsible for protecting abused women and children. With each apology he offers, non-profit organisations (NPOs) some of whom are looking after our women and children, are disappearing because of lack of funding.
On health, Lesufi tells us that his government wants to minimise queues and repeats the commitment for paperless hospitals and the issue of queue management. This is not only impossible but impractical because our hospitals are understaffed. Lesufi also talks about an Uber-like transport of medication for patients. Where is the money to fund this going to come from?
Furthermore, he highlights that the surgical backlogs have been cleared, yet, our hospitals face numerous challenges such as shortage of machinery and freezing of posts that is severely affecting surgical units.
On education, Lesufi announced that the National Treasury has given the Gauteng Provincial Government money to build 18 new schools. This promise is all too familiar. What we know is that the deadline for the completion of these schools won’t be met because the Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) is incompetent and should not be trusted with this responsibility.
On infrastructure, Lesufi tells us about the revitalisation of CBDs into vibrant economic hubs. But there is nothing to show for it. Joburg remains as dirty and run down as ever, and its fortunes are not likely to change under the current government.
Premier Panyaza Lesufi has yet to learn an old-age wisdom, that actions speak louder than words. In his case, his inaction against corruption and incompetence are eroding the hopes of the people of Gauteng.
His speech was more hot air and did little but show that Lesufi and his minority government will not do much to improve the lives of the residents of Gauteng.