ANC robs Joburg community of quality healthcare services 

28 February 2017

This morning, coordinated acts of intimidation and violent theatrics by the ANC in Johannesburg have sadly prevented the City of Johannesburg from successfully opening the River Park Clinic in Alexandra.

The opening of this clinic was a non-partisan community event meant to celebrate a new facility which will provide 34 251 people in River Park, Lombardy East, Rembrandt Park, Lombardy West and Tsutsumani with access to a quality healthcare services – something which all our residents deserve.

I view cooperation as a crucial ingredient for ensuring the success of the City. I therefore also invited the City’s former MMC for Health and Social Development , Nonceba Molwele, an ANC leader, to take part in the opening of this clinic.  Giving credit to the previous administration for starting this project.

Sadly for the residents of this City, it is clear that the ANC in Johannesburg is adamant on robbing communities of access to quality public services.

Instead, the ANC would rather engage in acts which promote public violence and undermine the safety of residents – all in the name of self-aggrandisement and petty politicking.

This must be condemned in the strongest of terms.

Yesterday, I publically called upon ANC Secretary General, Gwede Mantashe, and the ANC’s Chairperson in Gauteng, Paul Mashatile, to show leadership and prevent members of their party from denying the people in River Park, Lombardy East, Rembrandt Park, Lombardy West and Tsutsumani of their right to quality healthcare. This followed the distribution of a message between ANC branches in the area yesterday. The message read:

“Good afternoon Cdes, all branches a requested to mobilise and support ward 81 in protesting against [the] official opening of River Park Clinic by Herman Mashaba on Tuesday 28 Feb at 9am without involving the local community. The clinic [can] start operating but we can’t allow Mashaba to open it and claim an easy victory. Nothing about us without us. Let’s meet at River Park library on Tuesday at 7am.”

No such leadership was forthcoming.

This also follows a letter that was sent to the City from the ANC Ward 81 Branch on 4 November 2016 (letter attached).

In the letter the ANC stated that, “The official opening ceremony can only take place on condition that, the opening should be conducted by the former City of Joburg Mayor, Parks Tau, or the former MMC, Nonceba Molwele”.

Such demand is a blatant attack on the democratic outcomes of last year’s elections and blurs the lines between party and state. The demand by the ANC had nothing to do with serving our residents but had everything to do with political grandstanding.

The people of Johannesburg have already turned their back on the ANC, and will continue to do so unless the party learns to respect the will of the people and work together with this administration to better the lives of all our residents.

The City of Johannesburg faces major challenges to service delivery. Challenges created by previous ANC - led administrations.

The ANC would do well not to become an obstacle to reversing the harm which they have caused.

Rather they should work with the City so as to give residents, particularly those in previously under resourced areas, access to much needed quality public services.

I am the Mayor for all residents of this City, no matter their political affiliation, and it is essential that in everything we do, our residents come first.

Issued by Tony Taverna-Turisan, Director of Communications, Office of the Executive Mayor, City of Johannesburg, 28 February 2017