President Cyril Ramaphosa. Photo: Dwayne Senior/Getty Images
PResident Cyril Ramaphosa defended Imbizo's fees as “money well spent” amid a furor over the R44 million spent to hold four such meetings over an eight-month period, which prompted civil society movement #NotInMyName to lodge a complaint with the Public Protection Officer.
“It may seem a lot of money but it is money well spent. We are engaging with our people but there are complaints from some quarters that they feel left out,” Ramaphosa said at the first rally of his second term in office in Ekurhuleni on Friday.
He was accompanied by government ministers and Gauteng leaders.
Residents of Ekurhuleni have expressed frustration to the president over the lack of improvements in their area, with residents of the city's Tsakane district saying they are suffering from poor water supply and housing and electricity problems.
“Mr. President, I would be very happy to have my own home. That's what I want. I don't want to live in a rental anymore,” one resident said.
The sentiment reverberated throughout the stadium, underscoring the desperate need for adequate housing.
The meeting also highlighted growing concerns over unsafe transport services transporting school pupils, with parents speaking to condemn the rise in accidents involving schoolchildren.
Ekurhuleni mayor Nkosindiphile Shakaza, who took office in April, said he was aware of the issues with water and electricity supplies.
“In Ekurhuleni we have identified immediate focus areas including the quality and sustainability of services for the community. We need to build a strong financial foundation, prioritise repairs and maintenance, ensure good governance and ethical leadership,” Shakaza said.
“Mr President, most importantly for the Tsukane community, the main service delivery challenges relate to water and energy. The recent protests have highlighted the severity of these issues which are putting strain on our infrastructure.”
Water and Sanitation Minister Pemi Majodina said the supply issues were being resolved and the construction of a water pumping station in Ekurhuleni was a major step forward.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has promised to solve the province's unemployment problem and provide free Wi-Fi to all townships.
“Mr President, what we want to do is work with MTN and Huawei to ensure that all 26 townships have access to reliable, secure and free Wi-Fi so that everyone can be connected,” he said.
“We believe that poor children have the right to free Wi-Fi to do their homework and get the services they need. The future is not just about water and electricity. Data is key, so that the unemployed can use free Wi-Fi to send out their resumes.”
To address unemployment, President Ramaphosa said his administration would continue efforts to create formal markets in townships to make it easier for small businesses to trade.
