ANC STATEMENT ON VISIT TO NELSON MANDELA BAY - PUTTING OUR PEOPLE FIRST

28 OCTOBER 2014

Yesterday, 27th October 2014, the National Working Committee of the African National Congress concluded a 3 day visit to Nelson Mandela Bay. The visit was part of the continuing work being done by the ANC to strengthen local government as per commitments contained in the 2014 General Elections Manifesto.

Putting our people first, listening to their concerns and responding appropriately to their challenges is the hallmark of the ANC and its government and thus the visit entailed engagements with ANC structures, civil society stakeholders and the general public on measures to be undertaken to ensure local government works more efficiently and with a greater sense of urgency in the Region.

Having engaged a cross section of the residents of the Nelson Mandela Bay, the NWC identified the following pressing challenges in the Metro and called upon the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and the Eastern Cape Provincial Government to ensure speedy intervention and resolution:

1. Non-alignment of delivery between Departments such as Education and Health leading to an exodus of students from black townships to schools in other areas

2. Poor state of education and health facilities resulting from a perceived neglect of decommissioned schools and inaccessible clinics

3. Lack of an Integrated Public Transport System including the perceived wastage of resources in the implementation of a bus rapid transit system

4. Human Settlements Delivery; while the delivery of housing has been at record levels in the Municipality, communities are complaining about attendant problems such as the allocation and invasion of houses

5. Waste Management and Garbage Disposal

Given the challenges raised by our people above, the NWC has mandated the Social Transformation Sub-Committee of the NEC led by its Chairperson, Comrade Lindiwe Sisulu, to return to the Nelson Mandela Metro and remain in the region until it is satisfied that government is making sufficient progress to attend to the outlined problems with the urgency they deserve.

The NWC will also be working closely with the ANC structures in the Region and the ANC Caucus in the Municipality to strengthen the ANC's capacity to provide effective and decisive leadership that betters the lives of our people.

Statement issued by Zizi Kodwa, ANC national spokesperson, October 28 2014

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