The People of Alexandra Deserve Government Solutions not Campaigns

8 April 2019

Today, I have written to President Ramaphosa after having learnt of his stated plans to visit Alexandra on Thursday 11 April 2019, and those of Premier Makhura on Tuesday 9 April 2019.

Previously I responded to President Ramaphosa’s call to go to Alexandra by saying “name the time and the place Mr President.” I did so because the people of Alexandra require the attention of National, Provincial and Local Government to account for 25 years of failure.

I have directly requested the President to avoid a party political approach to the situation in Alexandra that has characterised the protests to date. The people of Alexandra need less politics and more government in the efforts to address their many pressing needs.

I have asked President Ramaphosa for Thursday’s visit to be an inter-governmental engagement with the people of Alexandra, with National, Provincial and Local Government.

This approach requires us, collectively, to listen to the grievances of Alexandra, and work together to design and deliver solutions. However, these plans need to be funded to depart from the past practices in which grandiose plans were never funded, and never delivered.

The reality is that the lived experiences of the residents of Alexandra go far beyond the powers of local government, and well beyond the past 2.5 years.

I call upon President Ramaphosa to provide leadership that transcends the petty party political approach to date. The grievances of the people of Alexandra are not currently being heard through the political noise, and this is a tragedy.

I have asked President Ramaphosa to confirm to me, by tomorrow 9 April 2019, whether he is willing to accept my proposal.

In the event that President Ramaphosa does accept it, he will find me by his side and the City of Johannesburg willing to work together with National and Provincial Government. In the event that President Ramaphosa does not accept my proposal, it will be clear for all to see the true reasons for his visit to Alexandra.

The multi-party government in Johannesburg has dedicated itself to be responsive to the needs of the most vulnerable in our society. The situation in Alexandra requires this approach from all three spheres of government working together.

We await a response from the President as to whether the party politics will be set aside in favour of government working together to provide solutions.

Issued by Luyanda Mfeka, Director: Mayoral Communications, Office of the Executive Mayor, 8 April 2019