The Rhodes University Barrat Theatre Lecture Hall was packed for the final #Makana16 Election Connection debate on 27 July.
The Rhodes University Barrat Theatre Lecture Hall was packed for the final #Makana16 Election Connection debate on 27 July.
The final event was jointly organised by the university's Political and International Studies Department in partnership with Radio Grahamstown, Rhodes Music Radio (RMR) and Grocott's Mail.
The debate was simultaneously broadcast live on Radio Grahamstown and RMR.
The theme of the series of six debates that the Election Connection team has been hosting at venues across the city since May was "Improving service delivery, eliminating corruption and making Grahamstown a decent place to live and work".
Panellists for the final event were Mthobisi Buthelezi (ANC), Darryn Holm (DA), Sabelo Bill (EFF), Bongani Diko (Azapo), Lena May (Independent) and Jock McConnachie (Independent).
Xolani Kondile was the chairperson and Wesley Seale from Rhodes University was the moderator.
The panellists were given a platform to open the debate and explain their respective parties' plans to deliver services to citizens.
Kondile and Seale asked panellists to focus on what they planned to do to improve service delivery, eliminate corruption and make Grahamstown a decent place to live and work.
Below are the panellists' opening remarks:
Lena May, Independent
I am a ward councillor at present and have always tried to do my best for everyone. I have been vocal on the council about the needs of my constituency. I'm standing for re-election as an independent candidate in my own right.
In taking that decision I asked myself why I became a councillor at all: was it to serve the interests of a political party or my community?
The answer was undoubtedly the latter, which is why I am keen to continue my important work as a councillor.
Jock McConnachie, Independent
I'm a proud Rhodian and Rhodes shall remain the name. If you are a current Rhodian shame on you. The Rhodes name is a brand name world wide and you can be proud of a degree that you receiver from Rhodes just as I am proud of the name.
I have a degree that I received from Rhodes the university. I'm proud of the name Rhodes as I'm a proud Grahamstonian. You can judge me accordingly.
I would like to hear from Darryn Holm who is a student and currently DA candidate for the ward what his stand is on the issue of the Rhodes University name.
I was involved in party politics and divorced myself from that. I believe that the political parties are the cause of the problems in local government and hence I'm standing as an independent candidate for Ward 8. The political parties have introduced contestation in the local government sphere and we hear the DA telling of how they are doing in the Western Cape.
Sabelo Bill, EFF
We as the EFF understand that we are toddlers in the local government elections but the people inside the party are not toddlers. We not here to make promises but bring service delivery to the people of Makana.
Bongani Diko, Azapo
The issue is, how do we bring about dignity for black people? Blacks are the ones who are still unemployed. The system does not favour the black man and the question is how do we take that to the municipality? [Black people] need land and are being used by white people to enrich themselves.
Darryn Holm, DA
I think its very clear why Jock is standing as an independent: it's because no party wants him.
This year's local government election is going to be a very important one because in these elections South Africans have a choice to make: you can choose the old status of corruption, empty promises, no service delivery and high rate of unemployment.
The DA is honest and will stop corruption. It will completely destroy corruption.
We will deliver better services and create jobs.
South Africa needs to move forward again. We need to be more inclusive.
We will be a responsive government. We will make sure that the needs of the people are met.
It is no coincidence that nine out of South Africa's 10 best municipalities are DA-run, and that's according to Stats SA, and 10 out of 10 bad municipalities are ran by the ANC.
In this year's election you have a chance to make a change: let's make this place a great place to be.
Mthobisi Buthelezi, ANC
Thanks for the opportunity. I came here hoping that we will have an honest discussion around issues that are facing our people.
Mr McConnachie has started and Mr Holm has started to fire a blindside which I'm going to ignore. The manifesto of the ANC can be summed up in three major phases. We can say that what was in this country is definitely a different phase to what is in this country and also what is in this country we must be honest and say it's not where we want to be as a country.
In relation to things that have improved in this country, we are not going to speak about what we have done but we are going to talk about what we are planning to do in the future.
What we have done over the past 22 years [includes]more than 4 million houses built in South Africa. That is more than 600 houses that have been built every working day since 1994.
Second, electricity has been provided to more than seven million houses in South Africa. That is what most countries is Sub-Saharan Africa are struggling to do and we are leading in terms of rolling out electrification.
Question to the DA
Mr Holm you started your topic using South Africans. When you talk about South Africans do you include black people in your equation – because when you look at the DA in the Western Cape there is huge difference where black people are staying like in Khayelitsha and where white people stay.
Question to DA
I want to ask the DA because we are facing a problem of oppression at work. Because they have a tendency of [prioritising the lives of white people].
Ayanda Kota's question to all panellists
Can I request that all speakers to focus on the local state of our governance and say something on the report by PSAM on the state of governance on this municipality.
Mthobisi Buthelezi, ANC, answers
Unfortunately I have not had the luxury of interacting with the report in question but on the general state of governance in Makana I think we must be able to state that since 2011 there have been some challenges but there has been some improvement.
A lot has been done and there is still a lot to be done.
Darryn Holm, DA, answers
We cannot [acknowledge]the progress that has been made in this municipality because its hardly evident. This municipality is on the brink of financial collapse. It was put under administration because of pressure from the DA.
The local councillors can't run the finances properly .The lady who came down to clean this mess Pam Yako was paid R3 million for nine months work and the situation didn't improve.
We are keeping the municipality accountable.
Bongani Diko, Azapo, answers
There are a lots of problems in this municipality. You can see that all executive mayors have not finished their terms in office.
Sabelo Bill, EFF, answers
They have failed us over the past 22 years. The way money is disappearing is a concern and service delivery is very poor. We don't even have clean water, but the municipality still asks us to pay rates.
Jock McConnachie, Independent, answers
Makana is one of the worst-performing municipalities in South Africa. the political parties are responsible for all the challenges. DA is included and they should take the blame on the state of things in Makana because they are controlling some wards here.
Lena May Independent, answers
Mine is very simple and my focus is on service delivery. You must know how to work when you're at the municipality: there are so many challenges in the municipality – [including]water and housing.
Darryn Holm, DA, Answers
The inequalities question, if we look at statistics the DA is a more inclusive party.
Wesley Seale ask all the panellists:
There are vacant positions in the municipality that are not filled. How we you going to improve the state of the municipality?
Lena May, Independent, answers
As a councillor you must put more pressure at the municipality to build more houses for the people. Those people who can afford to build themselves houses, why don't we give them land to build their houses?
Mthobisi Buthelezi, ANC, answers.
We need to get qualified people to fill those vacant positions. Rhodes University has a role to play to provide us with the necessary people.
Sabelo Bill, EFF, answers
Firstly we will do away with cadre deployment and get qualified people who will do their jobs well. We will build big houses for the people and [bring]back the dignity of our people.
Phakamisa Zathu asks Azapo:
As Azapo, how are we going to fix the current challenges here in this country?
Bongani Diko, Azapo, answers
The system is empowering women and they are given more jobs and salaries. Corruption – we will fight it. We will make sure that we get the right people into leadership positions.
Siyanda Ngcaku asks the DA:
Are we going to develop more infrastructure or we going to rely on the old infrastructure?
Darryn Holm, DA, answers
Service delivery has been compromised because of corruption, the ANC neglect. When the DA governs, the whole system will need to be redone.
Closing remarks by panellists
Mthobisi Buthelezi, ANC
We must be able to use Rhodes University to develop people who are going to work at the municipality.
The municipality must be able to offer bursaries to local people who will study at Rhodes and later work here.
People must be given the opportunity to study at the university.
On the 3rd of August we will not fear anything.
Darryn Holm, DA
We need to have government that prioritises the youth. What we need to do is to ensure that not only education is accessible to students, but that skills are also offered to students. By doing such we will be empowering the youth.
Jock McConnachie, Independent.
Rhodes is the primary industry of Grahamstown. The is lot of value invested in the name. I invite you to vote for me.
Bongani Diko, Azapo
There are some houses that are not allocated to people in Extension 10. Azapo is going to make sure that people are controlling the distribution of houses.
Sabelo Bill, EFF
22 years on, we are still hearing promises. We are the last hope for jobs and service delivery.
Lena May, Independent.
I will be accountable to the people and my track record speaks for itself. Vote Lena May.
