15 December 2019
Geoff Makhubo will have to hit the ground running if he wants votes in 2021
As 2019 comes to an end, it will bring relief to many hoping for a better 2020. To some, 2019 ends on a high note as they have recorded successes against the run of the economy.
Somethings are a result of our laziness and tendency to expect government, parents or someone to do something for us. Jay-Z says he doesn’t believe in luck, but hard work and preparedness. Many believe in blessings from God. Well, to each their own. In the end, we all want to fulfil the purpose for which we are created, see some progress with each passing year and/or work toward the attainment of something much bigger than ourselves. Like being part of the only 100% black mainstream newspaper in the country!
In this edition, we look at some of the celebrated personalities who made our eyes pop with glee. By all accounts, it has been a phenomenal year for the nation’s real queen – Zozibini Tunzi, who redefined our conception of beauty and then topped it with a well-deserved Miss Universe crown. She gave hope to beautiful young women across the globe. Steve Biko told us long ago that black is not just enough, it is beautiful. That song by Bruno Mars – Just the Way You Are – is an apt reminder of this.
And it’s the same message 27-year-old Sho Majozi took to Los Angeles when she scooped the Best New International Act: “My story is a testament that you can be from any village and any forgotten part of the world and you can still be a superstar”.
As our page 5 is a reminder, South Africa is awash with personalities who make us proud of being of here. They represent the very finest of who we are. They represent us much more than so-called public representatives who can’t manage Eskom, do. And Eskom is now one of the biggest threats to much-needed jobs in our country.
And therein lies the biggest headache for the new Executive Mayor of Johannesburg Geoff Makhubo. The end of the year must bring a mixed bag of emotions – with a bit of anxiety to boot – for him. For President Cyril Ramaphosa and Gauteng Premier David Makhura, there’s a bit of time to think about the implications of the economic meltdown underway in our country before the next general election. Not for Makhubo.
In about 20 months, residents of Johannesburg will be called upon to decide who must run their city. The deciding factor for that election seems to be what Statistics SA (Stats SA) says is in short supply – jobs.
An analysis of past elections shows that the ANC in Joburg has won almost all wards in Soweto, in Alex and other townships. The victories were in spite of the dark, shadowy image of former president Jacob Zuma in the background. What was striking (in 2016 local government and 2019 general election), was the low turnout in ANC won wards while the DA registered emphatic victories in fewer wards – mostly north of Joburg.
A closer look at a place like Soweto, for example, shows that roads are tarred, RDPs have been built, there has been investment in public parks. Multi-purpose centres adorn various areas in the sprawling township. Yet, residents are loath to pay for electricity and, importantly, when it’s election time, only a few show up.
In May’s general election, Makhubo and Makhura witnessed an outpouring of love and endorsement for Ramaphosa. On the ground, most people do not complain about what government has done for South Africa’s much-loved township, but their biggest cry is: “S’fun imisebenzi”. Government, especially the City of Joburg under mayors Amos Masondo and Parks Tau, has done a lot for Soweto. There seems very little left for Makhubo to do. The biggest worry is jobs.
The economy contracted by 0.6% in the third quarter. According to Stats SA, the formal sector lost about 28 000 jobs in the third quarter, with construction and manufacturing losing 12 000 each. There are now about 10-million South Africans of working age without jobs. Some of them, whose shacks were washed away this week when the Hennops and Jukskei rivers burst their banks, look to Makhubo and Makhura not just for short-term relief, but for meaningful employment.
Eskom’s load-shedding, while impacting negatively on big business, is having a devastating impact on small businesses. Black business is also hardest hit. As economists fight perfunctory battles over whether we require austerity measures as opposed to a counter-cyclical investment drive to break the back of the meltdown, Makhubo does not have the luxury of time. Many of those who will go out to vote in 20 months would have forgotten that Herman Mashaba, that man about himself, spent over three years in office. They will want to know why Makhubo, as the mayor, is failing to help them get jobs.
As we wind down activities for the year, and reflect on what has worked and why certain things didn’t happen as planned, one person with a supersized headache is Makhubo. His champagne must not pop until he knows how he is going to get his township-based supporters to come out in numbers to vote for the ANC. Getting the mayor’s chain was scaling a molehill. There’s a real mountain ahead for him and the ANC.
