Executive mayor, Cllr, Mzwandile Masina shares what he accomplished during his tenure in office from 2016 to date. He emphasized the need to ‘build a local economy that grows in the hands of the people.’
When he took over people gave him a mandate to tackle unemployment, inequality, poverty and to govern the city.
The executive mayor shared, saying, “this address takes place at a rather extraordinary time when the world is dealing with COVID-19. The Gauteng province remain the most affected because we went from burying 15 people a day to burying 25-35 on festive seasons in the same period. These are the realities that we found ourselves in during these tough times,” said executive mayor Masina.
He continued to say that, “this address takes place in less than a week after we planted king Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu who passed on, leaving a wide hole in our country’s rich heritage and hearts, not only that but we mark three days after the human rights day, a day linked to the Sharpeville massacre.
“This month we remember one of our own liberation struggle icons and our longest serving president of the ruling party (ANC), Oliver Reginald Tambo. He was a selfless leader who took charge despite the impossible task of leading during the regime change, after being exiled for 30 years, ensuring that victory was certain,” he added.
He said that houses were built and the government will continue to build more houses for the people of Ekurhuleni, including roads. The city has also facilitated systematic guidelines of acquiring land through rapid land release, using the four strategic land parcel which unlocks this kind of development.
The city increased the bursary from 10 million to 100 million, so far the skills and development department has ensured that the youth are in schools, they are employed, and they are no longer included in the statistics of the unemployment rate.
“The city is also experiencing crime activities that are negatively impacting on local businesses and the trending actions of gender based violence are alarming, brutal murder is also on the rise and we don’t condone it. There are also economic crimes that we all witness from time to time and this has to stop,” mayor Masina added.
Masina said in closing that he would like to thank the glorious movement that deployed him here (ANC), I would be doing a great injustice if I did not show my appreciation for the confidence they have shown in me by allowing me to lead such a dynamic municipality.
By Zoleka Batsha
