As we draw closer to the May 29 elections, it is easy to get carried away by the promises made by political newbies, or as I call them “election cycle political parties”.
Out of nowhere, these parties promise people heaven and earth but disappear into oblivion if they get that one seat in Parliament or the provincial legislature.
I am a Gauteng resident who will, for the first time, be voting for the DA. Listening to the party’s premier candidate, Solly Msimanga, leaves one in no doubt that the DA knows what has gone wrong with our province and what needs to be done to fix it.
Gauteng is the engine room of the country’s economy, but it is not creating enough jobs. Solly understands this, hence his emphasis on reducing the ongoing disinvestment and creating favourable conditions for businesses to thrive and create jobs for our people.
While there is nothing wrong with state jobs, Panyaza Lesufi’s job schemes are unsustainable.
He has not told us how he will fund them in the future because the Gauteng provincial budget cannot absorb the wage bill in perpetuity.
When Solly says the DA has a track record of creating businessfriendly policies, I believe him.
Over the past five years, Cape Town has outpaced the country in creating jobs. It is not hearsay; Stats SA data says so.
Here in Gauteng, Midvaal has managed to attract big firms like Heineken and Ferrero Rocher because of its good governance record.
My choice for the elections on May 29 is not secret – I will be voting for the DA.
* Sipho Mabuza, Vosloorus.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
The Star
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