Mashaba outlines plans for Joburg after speech disrupted
Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba's speech in the city council chambers was on Tuesday disrupted by a group of protestors.
The protectors claimed they were not paid by the DA for work done in the run-up to the elections, delivering pamphlets.
The council meeting adjourned for 10 minutes as the EFF requested for the mayor to receive the memorandum from protesting workers.
Mashaba obliged, but there was no memorandum for him to receive.
After several disruptions, Mashaba was finally able to outline his vision for the city.
"We need to start from basics and step-by-step build city we can all be proud to call our home. The DA has a positive vision, a plan for our city. A plan built on our promise to create jobs, deliver better services and eliminate corruption from this administration," Mashaba said.
He said there was no denying that unemployment remains the biggest challenge, affecting more than 800 000 residents in Gauteng.
"Almost 1 in 3 of our residents are without work today. The youth of our city is the biggest casualty of this epidemic. Job creation will be the number one priority of this DA led administration," he said.
Mashaba added that those who are found to be corrupt will be sent straight to jail.
Mashaba also said the administration will be revamping old buildings in the inner city to accommodate people who need housing and has already starting talking to investors on revamping the buildings owned by the city.
"The City of Johannesburg owns many buildings that will be audited and identified to provide low cost housing and affordable commercial spaces for small businesses and shops to reverse the inner city's decline and bring business and people back into the inner city."