DA leader John Steenhuisen says his party would govern Midvaal Local Municipality for another five years after the local government elections on November 1.
Steenhuisen made the pledge while launching the mayoral campaign of Peter Teixeira at Sicelo Community Hall outside Meyerton on Saturday.
“Today we say: here’s to 10 great years already under a committed DA government. Now let’s make that 15. Midvaal is undoubtedly the outstanding municipality in this province, as has been confirmed by a host of independent criteria.
“It is ranked in the top five of South Africa’s 278 municipalities by independent ratings agency Ratings Africa, and it is, by some distance, Gauteng’s best-performing municipality.
“And while there are several reasons for this - which I will touch on in a moment - arguably the most important of all is the stability that multiple terms of uninterrupted DA government brought to this municipality.
“Yes, we may have entered the era of coalition politics in South Africa - and we must learn to make these partnerships work - but make no mistake: if you want the best results for your town or city, you need to give the DA a full mandate to implement its vision,” Steenhuisen said.
He said the people of Midvaal have now had 10 consecutive years under an outright DA government - 10 years in which there were no other hands pulling at the steering wheel or governing partners that had to be constantly placated and appeased.
“Ten years in which long-term projects could come to fruition, and where we could see the cumulative effect of many years of responsible financial management.
“Importantly, eight of those 10 years have also been under the guiding hand of one single mayor - a man who has proven himself to be a fine public servant and manager of people. So before we talk about Peter Teixeira and his campaign, allow me to say a few words about our outgoing Midvaal Mayor Bongani Baloyi.
“Bongani, what you have achieved here in Midvaal is nothing short of outstanding. By being a present and engaged leader, and by living out our DA values in everything you did, you set an example which others found easy to follow,” Steenhuisen said.
He said he remembered when Baloyi took office here as a very young man back in 2013, there were many people who doubted whether he had the necessary life experience for this challenging job.
“Well, I assure you, no one is doubting you now. Midvaal was fortunate to have you at the helm these past eight years, and you can be proud of the achievements of this municipality under your watch.
“We thank you for your exemplary service to the people of Midvaal, and we wish you all the best for the future,” he said.
He told his supporters that Teixeira would continue on the path of Baloyi.
Commenting on Teixeira’s abilities, he said: “Since joining the DA in 2014, he has continued to impress with his work ethic and his activism, and quickly rose through the ranks.
“From being elected ward councillor for ward 4 in 2016, he was soon appointed to the Mayoral Committee and has served there as MMC in three different portfolios. Peter is also our constituency Head here in the Midvaal Constituency.
“The job of a dedicated public representative - and particularly that of a mayor - is not easy and doesn’t stick to office hours, but Peter has proven that he is not afraid of hard work. It also helps that his wife, Refiloe, is herself a prominent and vocal DA supporter.
“I have full confidence in your ability to continue our good work here in Midvaal and to take this municipality to even greater heights,” Steenhuisen said.
He said many people mistakenly believe that the DA was only a party of government in the Western Cape, saying they often don’t realise that the DA also govern in places like Kouga in the Eastern Cape, Midvaal here in Gauteng and that we even have a DA mayor in Modimolle-Mookgophong in Limpopo.
“After these elections on the 1st of November we intend to expand that list to even more municipalities in more provinces. But the critical thing is not the election itself, but what happens after you’ve won.
“As one of my predecessors is fond of saying, the only thing worse than losing an election is winning an election and then governing badly,” Steenhuisen said.
Political Bureau