A City for all the people: The DA's record of delivery to the poor in Cape Town, 2006 - 2011

Note to editors: The following statement accompanies a press conference held in Cape Town today.

When I made the decision to accept the nomination to be the DA's mayoral candidate for Cape Town, I knew that addressing poverty and the concerns of the poor would be one the major priorities of my tenure, if elected.

I want to be a mayor for all of the people of Cape Town because Cape Town is a city for all of its citizens, no matter who they are.

I have always made delivering to the poor one of the focal points of my career. From my early political days as a community organiser on the Cape Flats to my most recent term as the MEC for Social Development in the Western Cape, poor communities have always been my major concern.

Throughout my career, I have always tried to find ways to improve the lives of people by working in and with our communities. If elected mayor, I will seize the opportunity to take this work of serving the poor even further.

The DA has proven to the City of Cape Town that a metro's administration, if built on a pro-poor foundation, can serve those who most need our help.

We need to deliver for all the people. Poverty knows no political affiliation. When you are poor you are poor. We need to take the politics out of poverty. We need to always deliver to poor people no matter who they voted for.

The details of the DA's track record delivering to the poor are available in this document for download.

The City of Cape Town under the DA has made delivery to the poor one of its highest priorities. Only by ensuring that the poorest people have access to free services and opportunities to improve their lives can we begin to speak about providing for all the people.

Part of the DA's vision of an open, opportunity society for all is the understanding that in order for all people to truly reach their full potential, those who need a helping hand must get one to help themselves. An individual cannot create opportunities for themselves or benefit from the opportunities provided if they are trapped in a cycle of poverty.

Addressing poverty is a key strategic focus for the DA. Our vision of Cape Town, and indeed of South Africa, is one where we can truly create a future that belongs to everyone. But to build that future, we must face up to our past; acknowledge it; and address its structural inequalities.

The DA has waged the fight against poverty on two fronts: poverty alleviation and poverty reduction. We must create the environment that can bring about social cohesion.

Through a multi-faceted campaign fought on many fronts, the DA has been ensuring that Cape Town delivers to everyone and especially the poor.

The first section of today's discussion document details the City's indigent policy, which has been the vehicle of the DA's pro-poor package of services. It illustrates the success and extent of providing basic services for free to the poorest registered households.

The second section deals with the City's record in delivering services to those who are not registered in terms of formal properties but often form the largest population groups of South African cities: the residents of informal settlements.

The third section deals with health care. Under a DA administration, the City has had an excellent record of providing basic healthcare facilities to all residents. Clinics, which are staffed and paid for by the City, are a critical element of social service provision to the poor.

The fourth section deals with the City's housing record. This section demonstrates the strides the City has made under the DA to accelerate the rate of basic housing provision and also initiate new and innovative polices which have allowed for the upgrade of existing settlements and communities.

The final section provides a case study of the City's ability to deliver services to a particular community and focuses on Khayelitsha, specifically the City's role as the service provider for the Urban Renewal Programme (URP) with other partners and the effects of the City's Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading (VPUU) Programme in conjunction with other partners and stakeholders. We have now also started this programme in Manenberg.

The DA's track record in delivering for the poor has been supported by various independent sources. In 2009, data providers IHS Global Insight, ranked Cape Town the top metro in South Africa in terms of household access to water, sanitation, refuse removal and electricity. Empowerdex, the BEE Ratings Agency, found that "Cape Town is clearly the best city in the country for service delivery".

According to the National Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs' Universal Household Access to Basic Services (UHABS) survey, local authorities across the Western Cape were last year ranked number one out of all nine provinces for service delivery in the UHABS Index.

And according to an independent 2010 survey done by the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR), Western Cape municipalities provide more free basic services like water, sanitation and waste removal than anywhere else.

These endorsements and the information contained in this document show a City that is inclusive and caring and a DA administration that has fulfilled its pledge to deliver to the poor and truly make Cape Town a city for all the people. If elected, I will work with our communities to build on this foundation step by step and ensure that a great city becomes even better.

Statement by Patricia de Lille, DA Mayoral Candidate for Cape Town, April 5 2011

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