Mayor Geoffrey Makhubo struggled to get a word in at the state of the city address due to a number of interruptions by council members.
The Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg shared plans the city has for stimulating economic growth and promoting social development.
“COVID-19 saw governments at all levels, operating in a context of radical uncertainty and faced with difficult trade-offs given the health, economic and social challenges it raised. We had to respond to the state of Johannesburg’s finances and collapse of good governance,” Makhubo began.
Mayor Makhubo focused on the city’s approach to the virus which was to prevent, contain and manage the spread of COVID-19 through efficient and equitable deployment of resources to the most vulnerable areas, particularly areas of high volumes in human traffic and informal and densely populated settlements.
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The city’s achievements
According to the mayor, the city under its current leadership has always had an understanding of the problems that residents face.
The City through Council approved a Debt Rehabilitation Programme that includes additional relief measures for ratepayers amidst the ongoing COVID -19 pandemic. The new programme includes an increase in the qualifying property value from R600,000 to R1.5 million#JoburgSOCA2021 pic.twitter.com/NqLGY4JpeN
— Geoff Makhubo (@GeoffMakhubo) May 4, 2021
An approved Debt Rehabilitation Programme includes revised relief measures for ratepayers which could help them write off 50% of municipal debt amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
To echo Former Mayor Parks Tau in his 2016 SOCA: “we, as the government of Johannesburg, our great City, have understood that to eradicate poverty we must create prosperity.”
“As government we realize that prosperity isn’t limited to the targeted service delivery programmes that we have initiated. We ought to also target their hearts and minds. That is, we need to bridge the gap between what we deliver & how its experienced by residents,” says Makhubo.
Makhubo Our anti-unlawful land occupation unit will take prompt action on-site against unlawful land invaders. This will include confronting invaders to vacate the land; demolition and dismantling incomplete and uninhabited structures (shack farming), and obtaining court interdicts.
The City continues to grapple with crime, grime & general lawlessness.
Lawlessness & its various manifestations range from serious crimes such as murder, rape and hijacking to relatively minor ones such as petty theft, public drinking & other violations of by-laws#JoburgSOCA2021— Geoff Makhubo (@GeoffMakhubo) May 4, 2021
The mayor concluded with sentiment on supporting and facilitating recovery of Johannesburg’s economy as public health containment measures are eased. The city’s economy will need to adjust to a world economy changed by the pandemic to remain and become competitive.
