In the FF Plus's view, the State of the City Address (SOCA) by the Executive Mayor of the Ekurhuleni Metro Council, Sivuyile Ngodwana, offered nothing but more empty promises.
The Mayor's speech created a sense of déjà vu seeing as it was basically a rehash of the 2016 SOCA by the then ANC mayor.
It is to be expected, though, because the new ANC/EFF government is still the same incompetent ANC in another garb.
In his speech, the Mayor indicated that the Metro's funds will be spent responsibly, and that fruitless and wasteful expenditure will be avoided at all costs.
Ironically enough, and despite this undertaking, the new government decided that the SOCA should run over two days, incurring many unnecessary costs.
All the political parties in the Metro would have been able to respond meaningfully to the SOCA on the same day it was delivered.
Furthermore, the Mayor also mentioned the notion of "the people's government" in his speech.
His reference to this is also ironic, seeing as service delivery is clearly provided selectively to certain communities in certain areas.
Democracy is not a spectator sport, but a system in which everyone must participate, and everyone must also have the benefit of service delivery.
The Mayor, furthermore, took credit for plans that the previous coalition government, of which the FF Plus was part, created.
The previous multiparty coalition government, for instance, compiled feasible plans for improving revenue, good service delivery coordination, health and other campaigns, infrastructure upgrades and much more, which the ANC/EFF coalition is now laying claim to.
A good indication that the so-called new government will not be able to improve service delivery is that its promise to repair and rebuild nine reservoirs in 100 days is not only unrealistic, but there are also no funds earmarked for it in the budget.
The FF Plus also finds it ironic that this government wants to establish a central anti-corruption body consisting of cadres who are promoting corruption themselves.
One can merely shake one's head at the thought of creating a university, while government is unable to provide basic service delivery.
The fact that this project commenced in 2016 and has made no real progress since also says a lot about the ANC's inability to govern.
The FF Plus does not have high hopes for the new ANC/EFF government, particularly because there are already signs of disunity. The Members of the Mayoral Committee were not even inaugurated together, as is customary.
The ANC and EFF should not get too comfortable in the seat of power.
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