Today in the Gauteng Legislature, the FF Plus accused the Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, of political opportunism for hiring thousands of peace warders while the province’s economy is declining and unemployment is increasing hand over fist.
Lesufi indicated in the Legislature, in reply to a series of questions from the FF Plus, that so far R50 million has been earmarked for training and hiring peace wardens to help combat crime.
Seeing as the process of training and hiring wardens is an ongoing process at this stage, more will ultimately be spent on the project, which is likely to become a permanent item in the annual budget.
The problem with this anti-crime project is that it is merely putting a band-aid on the issue of unemployment. It is no more than political theatrics with the aim of canvassing support for the 2024 elections.
An indication of Gauteng’s dire economic situation is evident in a report by the Gauteng Department of Education, which indicates that more and more middle-class schools are applying to become part of the schools feeding scheme.
It means that many so-called middle-class families can no longer afford to provide food that their children can take with them to school, and that many middle-class children are no longer properly fed at home.
Lesufi’s peace wardens programme will not make any meaningful difference to the fate of the scores of unemployed people in Gauteng. The state simply cannot provide everyone with jobs.
The issue of some people resorting to crime in order to survive is not addressed at all.
The Gauteng economy is in the worst position ever due to the ANC’s interference in the free market, its failed economic policies of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and Affirmative Action (AA), and its senseless partnerships with the world’s skunk countries.
The Gauteng ANC government, under the leadership of Lesufi, has no idea of what needs to be done to stimulate the province’s economy. Gauteng has not attracted any new, large foreign investments in years.
The only sustainable solution is establishing a coalition government consisting of reasonable opposition parties, including the FF Plus, after the 2024 elections.
Then sensible economic policy and more investments will once again lead to economic growth and the creation of sustainable job opportunities.
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