DA councilor Leah Knott writes a response to Mandy Wiener's column 'Johannesburg: No longer a city of gold but one of despair
I feel your frustration and agree that things are falling apart. Like you I am a patriot and a pragmatist, and I believe that Johannesburg can not only be fixed but can be the leading city in South Africa - a city which delivers a high standard of living for all residents and continues to be the leading destination for investment.
Yes, our city is crumbling. This can be put into a figure: R200 billion. That's the backlog of repairs and upgrades to our power, water, and road networks. When we came into government in 2016, we found this staggering backlog and committed to turning it around, with some success. Sadly, the ANC was interrupted in December 2019, and things have just slid downhill ever since.
Let me be clear: Covid didn't wreck our city - it merely exposed the existing weaknesses, which a lack of leadership allowed to run unchecked.
To arrest this decline and put Johannesburg back on track, the DA put forward an Alternative Budget for 2021/22 that allocated R16 billion to repairs and upgrades. This was against the ANC proposal for a mere R2.7 billion for upgrades and an unknown amount for repairs.
Even this is not enough; we need to be spending at least R20 billion a year if we are to make a substantial dent in the R200 billion backlog and prove our commitment to quality service delivery to residents and investors. But throwing more money at the problem is just the start - we need to fix the horrendous management problems and corruption that infests City Power, Joburg Water, and JRA.
Can we do this? Yes. We can, and we must. The DA's track record in government in cities across the country is undisputed: we have the experience, the right people, and the commitment to honest, well-run government. For the past decade, the best-run city in Gauteng is DA-run Midvaal, and Tshwane is now slowly on track to reach the same standard. Johannesburg can achieve this too.
We have spent all of our time since December 2019 on the ground, understanding the issues affecting Johannesburg and keeping pressure on the ANC to deliver. We have developed real plans based on evidence and best practice and will implement them if we are voted back into government on 27 October.
I want to encourage all Johannesburg residents to take the power that is in your hands; register to vote from 17-18 July, and vote on 27 October. Let's bring the change that Johannesburg needs to be the best it can be.
- Leah Knott is the DA City of Johannesburg Caucus Leader