Service delivery takes top priority

10 July 2015

 

Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development (MMC) Councillor Chris Vondo said yesterday that the City of Johannesburg would spend the bulk of the R52-billion budgeted for the current financial year on service delivery.

 

He was speaking during a Gauteng Provincial Government’s social cluster imbizo in Diepkloof.

 

MMC Vondo told hundreds of residents at the Diepkloof Hall that the City had signed service delivery performance agreements with the various municipal-owned entities (MoEs) to fulfil its service delivery mandate and “make Johannesburg a world-class African city”.

 

The Imbizo is part of the Gauteng Provincial Government’s fact-finding mission and communication initiative. This platform gives various MECs the opportunity to interact with members of the community and to listen to their concerns and grievances. MMC Vondo said the City had adopted four pillars through which it would deliver its mandate: Jozi@Work, Corridors of Freedom, Blue and Green Economy and Smart City initiative.

 

He also said a large number of youths would soon be sent to the University of London to be trained in various aspects of information and communication technology.

 

“Johannesburg is a city with a predominantly young population. The City has taken the issue of youth unemployment very seriously, hence the Executive Mayor, Councillor Parks Tau’s adoption of the Vulindlel'eJozi programme,” the MMC said.

 

Gauteng MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi said during his walkabout with Johannesburg councillors that he was sad to hear the elderly complaining about having to wake up as early as 5am to queue for medication and treatment at the local clinic.

 

MEC Lesufi said he was also disturbed by the lack of commitment by local municipal staff, especially on pay day. He warned that if the government did not change, the people would make changes.“If you don’t listen to the people, they will turn against you. If you are a leader, you must listen to the people,” MEC Lesufi said.

 

He said unless the government dealt effectively with the problem of youth unemployment, this country would be faced with a huge problem.

 

“Unless we do that, we will be faced with a big problem. We will have more people abusing drugs and involved in crime,” he said.

 

MEC Lesufi also said the provincial government had taken a decision to do away with RDP houses in their current form and build better houses. He said the Gauteng government intended creating three economic corridors to create new jobs for the youth. He said it planned to create 140 000 new jobs between now and 2019.