Premier Makhura deflecting from his duties instead of delivering houses to communities

14 May 2018

It is with great disappointment that I note statement by Gauteng Premier David Makhura to the media yesterday regarding housing challenges faced by the province and the City in particular.

In an interview with News24, regarding government’s response to recent housing protests in Eldorado Park, Makhura alludes to the City not cooperating with efforts to providing housing to residents. This is with respect to the release of vacant land for housing projects.

The comments come as a surprise given the City’s efforts to engage, in good faith, on the matter.

Limited access to quality affordable housing within the province and, the City especially, is a long standing problem which has been presided over by successive administrations.

For over 24 years, the previous administration has failed to address this challenge – something Makhura seems to conveniently fail to mention.                

Last year, in an effort to address this matter, particularly, rising unrest within Eldorado Park and surrounds, I together with the then Minister of Housing, Lindiwe Sisulu and then Gauteng housing MEC Paul Mashatile, held an intense meeting with representatives of these communities. At this meeting, the provincial and national governments committed to addressing the needs of these residents immediately.

A year to the day and neither provincial nor national government have fulfilled their commitment.

At the time, I had cautioned against making commitments to communities without ensuring the essential budget allocations are secured for projects, so as to build infrastructure needed to service land which residents may be relocated to.

To that end, the City committed to providing assistance once the two spheres of government created the necessary plans – which is in their primary sphere of jurisdiction.

Nothing materialized from this interaction.

Following similar protests in the affected communities this past week, the City met with the now Gauteng Human Settlements MEC Uhuru Moiloa last Friday on 11 May; I reiterated the need for specific housing allocations to be made to the community backed by an appropriate budget.

Without this, it would not be possible to ensure that our most indignant communities have the dignity of safe housing.

At the time, this seemed to be a matter we all agreed on. Indeed, province committed to submitting a report on the matter early this week, which could then be taken to the City’s Council for consideration.

The unfortunate misrepresentation made by the Premier, the City’s participation within the process is most unfortunate and can only serve to harm intergovernmental relations between the province and the City.

It is important to remind the Premier that focus of our collective action needs to be around advancing the best interests of residents and not petty politicking. I am on record where I stated that the days of politicians lying to our residents are over, this is something that he should remember going forward.

Issued by Omogolo Taunyane, Specialist: Mayoral Communications, Office of the Executive Mayor, 14 May 2018