Durban — Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal leader Francois Rodgers has called on Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube to admit the ANC government has failed the people of KZN.
Rodgers said this in a statement ahead of the State of the Province Address (Sopa), to be held on Friday, February 24.
“As Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube prepares to deliver her State of the Province Address (Sopa) on Friday, the time has come to admit that this ANC-run government has failed the people of KZN,” Rodgers said.
“The writing is on the wall for an increasingly desperate ruling party as recent polling shows a steady decline in its support. This while it has never been clearer that KZN is being run on autopilot by an ANC that has betrayed the people.
“Despite the crisis that the premier finds herself facing, it is highly doubtful that she will put sustainable solutions on the table. Instead, we expect her to announce more grand, empty plans,” Rodgers said.
He said that nowhere is this more evident than in the ongoing collapse of KZN’s only metro, eThekwini, and its capital, Msunduzi, which are in a state of ruin. Meanwhile, residents across the province are sick and tired of paying for non-existent services while the bloated bureaucracy continues to grow unabated.
“The people of KZN deserve an honest assessment of the state of our province. They also deserve to know how this ANC government plans to address the vast number of challenges that exist,” Rodgers said.
He said the DA identified eight key areas where the ANC – and Dube-Ncube - must provide solutions:
- The collapse of critical infrastructure, led to a water and sewage crisis.
- The abysmal state of municipal service delivery.
- The crime epidemic within KZN, and the rise in politically motivated killings.
- The growing levels of unemployment in KZN. We need a sustainable, inclusive economic recovery plan.
- The ongoing scourge of cadre deployment corruption.
- The spectacular collapse of KZN’s roads by a department that continues to underspend its budget. We need to see a Master Plan.
- Runaway over-expenditure within Health and Education, with the latter accumulating a R1 billion overdraft and;
- An alternate energy plan for KZN as Eskom and the ANC’s national leadership fail to find solutions.
Rodgers said that at the heart of the ongoing breakdown of our province lies the lack of political will within this ANC-run government to implement service-centred change. As a result, the development of a capable state remains a pipe dream.
“The rise in power of the province’s so-called ANC Taliban faction and the shift in control following last year’s elective congress have been the final nails in the coffin for KZN. This province and its people are once again at the mercy of patronage and factional appointments,” Rodgers said.
“Recent talks of ANC support from the EFF spell disaster for both our country and our province. If this does go ahead, then the scenes witnessed during the State of the Nation Address – where the EFF tried to storm the stage where the President was seated – are only a taste of what is to come. What the ANC in KZN should have done is strongly condemn such conduct. Yet, it has remained silent, effectively condoning such thuggery.”
Rodgers said that this ANC provincial government has shown that it is inherently self-serving. It is a party at war with itself, and ultimately, KZN’s people are the biggest losers.
“Now is the time to rebuild our beloved province. The DA’s growth currently places it in a position where it is a viable alternative to govern in 2024. Our offer to the people of KZN puts their needs first, prioritises their safety, and creates economic prosperity, leading to jobs and services,” Rodgers said.
“Where the DA governs, we govern well. Nowhere in our province is this more evident than in the DA-led uMngeni Municipality, where sacrifice before status is the norm rather than the exception.
“With the 2024 elections looming, hope is on the horizon. This could be the last chance to save our province,” Rodgers said.
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