Obama Visit: Freedom of the City Award from a City which Delivers For All
The ANC in the Western Cape has called on President Barack Obama to reject the Freedom of the City awarded to him by the City of Cape Town. The Freedom of the City is to be presented to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama during their three-day visit to the African continent at the end of the month.
The ANC's stated reason for making this call, that the City does not deliver to the poor, is completely without basis. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.
The facts show that the DA-led City of Cape Town delivers better quality services to more poor people than any other metro in South Africa.
The City of Cape Town offers the most comprehensive and generous package of free basic services to indigent residents of any Metro in the country. This is a fact.
In the past financial year, the City spent 57% of its R18 billion budget on direct service delivery to poor residents. Another fact.
The City has increased its targeted spending on the poor every year over the past six years. The Metro has also built dozens of new social facilities, including sports grounds, youth and community centres, drug rehab centres and libraries. These facilities are aimed at uplifting the poorest of the poor and providing employment opportunities for local residents. All facts ignored by the ANC.
Where the DA governs, we deliver more to the poor than any ANC government has. But these facts don't get in the way of the ANC shamelessly politicising an important and highly-regarded civic award to a global leader who has led the way in peace-making and human-rights based leadership.
This will not deter the leadership of the City of Cape Town in making the award. The DA is proud of our service delivery record in the City of Cape Town and we are proud to present the Freedom of the City award to President Barack Obama.
Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane, DA National Spokesperson, May 28 2013
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