President Mashaba, members of our national leadership, our candidates, our ActionSA activists, and most importantly, the residents of Tshwane.
Good day.
Today, I am here to make five commitments to the people of Tshwane, which I will put in writing and sign publicly.
For almost two years, I have had the privilege of serving as Executive Mayor of our Capital.
During that time, we have begun the difficult work of stabilising a municipality that had experienced years of financial instability, deteriorating infrastructure and unreliable services.
We have made progress, but I also know that there are many residents who are yet to experience the improvements they deserve.
And I want to acknowledge that honestly.
In recent weeks, communities across Tshwane have once again experienced serious disruptions to water and electricity supply.
I have seen the frustration of residents who have been without water, families who have had to make alternative arrangements just to get through the day, and businesses struggling to operate without reliable electricity.
I understand why residents are angry. These are basic services that people should be able to depend on.
As Mayor, I take responsibility for leading the City’s response to these problems. I also recognise that responding to emergencies is not enough. We have to address the underlying infrastructure problems that cause these failures in the first place.
That is why the commitments I am making today are particularly important to me.
My first pledge is to protect Tshwane’s financial recovery and strengthen accountability.
Over the past two years, we have worked to restore financial discipline and put the City on a more sustainable footing.
If residents give me another five years, I will continue that work by protecting our funded budgets, strengthening revenue collection and ensuring that public money is spent responsibly.
We must also continue improving accountability within the administration, addressing corruption and financial misconduct, and working towards a clean audit.
At the same time, we must protect households that genuinely cannot afford basic services, while ensuring that those who can pay meet their obligations.
Ultimately, sound financial management matters because it allows us to invest in the infrastructure and services residents need.
My second pledge is to create jobs and unlock economic opportunities in Tshwane.
I know how difficult unemployment can be. During COVID, despite my qualifications and experience, I struggled to find work myself.
That experience has stayed with me, particularly when I meet young people who are desperate for an opportunity to build independent lives.
Over the next five years, I want us to build on the Tshwane Economic Revitalisation Strategy by attracting investment, helping businesses expand and making it easier for entrepreneurs to operate.
We will continue supporting township businesses and informal traders, while connecting more young people to skills development, work experience and employment opportunities through initiatives such as Ithuba.
Our ambition is to create the conditions for more jobs and a stronger local economy, because people deserve a fair opportunity to improve their lives.
My third pledge is to fix what matters most and deliver reliable services to all residents of Tshwane.
Of all the commitments I am making today, this is one I want to emphasise particularly strongly.
The water and electricity challenges we are experiencing have reminded us how much work remains to be done.
When a family has no water, it affects almost everything they do. Parents struggle to prepare their children for school, elderly residents are forced to find alternative supplies, and businesses lose valuable working hours.
When electricity fails repeatedly, the consequences are equally serious for households, schools, clinics and businesses.
I know that residents are tired of explanations. They want their services restored, and they want to know that the same problems will not keep happening.
That is a reasonable expectation, and it must guide our work.
Over the next five years, I want us to accelerate the Water Stabilisation Plan and Electricity Stabilisation Plan, with a much stronger focus on maintaining and replacing ageing infrastructure before it fails.
We must invest in our reservoirs, pump stations, pipelines, substations and electricity networks, while reducing the water and electricity losses that place additional pressure on the City’s finances and infrastructure.
We also need to strengthen the City’s own technical capacity, equip our teams to respond faster and reduce unnecessary dependence on expensive contractors.
And we must improve the way we communicate with residents during service interruptions.
People deserve accurate information about what has gone wrong, what is being done and when they can reasonably expect their services to return.
I will not stand here today and promise that every infrastructure problem in Tshwane can be solved overnight. The scale of the work required is simply too great.
But I am committing myself to making reliable basic services the central priority of the next five years, backed by proper investment, maintenance and accountability.
Our residents should not have to accept repeated service failures as a normal part of life in the Capital City.
My fourth pledge is to restore the rule of law and make communities across Tshwane safer.
Over the next five years, we must strengthen the Tshwane Metro Police Department, expand our Reclaim Our City operations and enforce municipal by-laws fairly and consistently.
We will continue acting against dangerous buildings, unlawful businesses, infrastructure theft and activities that make our communities unsafe.
We must also work closely with SAPS, Home Affairs and other authorities where responsibilities fall outside the municipality’s powers.
I want Tshwane to be a city where residents feel safe in their neighbourhoods, legitimate businesses can operate without unfair competition from illegal activities, and public spaces are maintained for the benefit of our communities.
My fifth pledge is to put residents first and build a municipality that works for everyone.
This is ultimately about the kind of government I believe in.
I grew up understanding the importance of hard work, but also knowing that people need opportunities and support to build better lives.
That belief has shaped my approach to public service.
I want a municipality where residents are treated with respect, where officials respond when people need assistance, and where complaints do not simply disappear into the system.
We must improve customer care, resolve billing disputes faster, accelerate title-deed delivery and ensure that vulnerable households receive the support they qualify for.
We must also hold ourselves accountable through clear service standards and honest reporting on our performance.
And importantly, the quality of government you receive should never depend on where you live, how much you earn or which political party you support.
Tshwane belongs to all its residents.
Fellow residents,
These are the five commitments I am making to you today.
They reflect the values that guide ActionSA and the responsibilities I am prepared to accept if you entrust me with another five years as Mayor.
But I also believe that making a public pledge must mean something.
It is not enough for politicians to make commitments during an election campaign and expect residents to forget about them afterwards.
I want the people of Tshwane to hold me accountable for these pledges.
Judge our progress by whether your water and electricity become more reliable, whether your streets are maintained, whether your communities are safer, whether businesses and young people have greater opportunities, and whether your municipality treats you with the respect you deserve.
I also recognise that rebuilding Tshwane requires a partnership between government and residents. We must do our job, and we must work together to protect our infrastructure, respect the law and care for the communities we share.
We have started the work of restoring Tshwane, but I know that the job is far from finished.
Today, I am putting my name and signature to these five pledges because I believe public leadership must come with personal responsibility.
These are the commitments I am asking you to judge me against over the next five years.
Five pledges. One Capital. A City That Works.
Thank you.
Five pledges. One Capital. A City That Works.
President Mashaba, members of our national leadership, our candidates, our ActionSA activists, and most importantly, the residents of Tshwane.
Good day.
Today, I am here to make five commitments to the people of Tshwane, which I will put in writing and sign publicly.
For almost two years, I have had the privilege of serving as Executive Mayor of our Capital.
During that time, we have begun the difficult work of stabilising a municipality that had experienced years of financial instability, deteriorating infrastructure and unreliable services.
We have made progress, but I also know that there are many residents who are yet to experience the improvements they deserve.
And I want to acknowledge that honestly.
In recent weeks, communities across Tshwane have once again experienced serious disruptions to water and electricity supply.
I have seen the frustration of residents who have been without water, families who have had to make alternative arrangements just to get through the day, and businesses struggling to operate without reliable electricity.
I understand why residents are angry. These are basic services that people should be able to depend on.
As Mayor, I take responsibility for leading the City’s response to these problems. I also recognise that responding to emergencies is not enough. We have to address the underlying infrastructure problems that cause these failures in the first place.
That is why the commitments I am making today are particularly important to me.
My first pledge is to protect Tshwane’s financial recovery and strengthen accountability.
Over the past two years, we have worked to restore financial discipline and put the City on a more sustainable footing.
If residents give me another five years, I will continue that work by protecting our funded budgets, strengthening revenue collection and ensuring that public money is spent responsibly.
We must also continue improving accountability within the administration, addressing corruption and financial misconduct, and working towards a clean audit.
At the same time, we must protect households that genuinely cannot afford basic services, while ensuring that those who can pay meet their obligations.
Ultimately, sound financial management matters because it allows us to invest in the infrastructure and services residents need.
My second pledge is to create jobs and unlock economic opportunities in Tshwane.
I know how difficult unemployment can be. During COVID, despite my qualifications and experience, I struggled to find work myself.
That experience has stayed with me, particularly when I meet young people who are desperate for an opportunity to build independent lives.
Over the next five years, I want us to build on the Tshwane Economic Revitalisation Strategy by attracting investment, helping businesses expand and making it easier for entrepreneurs to operate.
We will continue supporting township businesses and informal traders, while connecting more young people to skills development, work experience and employment opportunities through initiatives such as Ithuba.
Our ambition is to create the conditions for more jobs and a stronger local economy, because people deserve a fair opportunity to improve their lives.
My third pledge is to fix what matters most and deliver reliable services to all residents of Tshwane.
Of all the commitments I am making today, this is one I want to emphasise particularly strongly.
The water and electricity challenges we are experiencing have reminded us how much work remains to be done.
When a family has no water, it affects almost everything they do. Parents struggle to prepare their children for school, elderly residents are forced to find alternative supplies, and businesses lose valuable working hours.
When electricity fails repeatedly, the consequences are equally serious for households, schools, clinics and businesses.
I know that residents are tired of explanations. They want their services restored, and they want to know that the same problems will not keep happening.
That is a reasonable expectation, and it must guide our work.
Over the next five years, I want us to accelerate the Water Stabilisation Plan and Electricity Stabilisation Plan, with a much stronger focus on maintaining and replacing ageing infrastructure before it fails.
We must invest in our reservoirs, pump stations, pipelines, substations and electricity networks, while reducing the water and electricity losses that place additional pressure on the City’s finances and infrastructure.
We also need to strengthen the City’s own technical capacity, equip our teams to respond faster and reduce unnecessary dependence on expensive contractors.
And we must improve the way we communicate with residents during service interruptions.
People deserve accurate information about what has gone wrong, what is being done and when they can reasonably expect their services to return.
I will not stand here today and promise that every infrastructure problem in Tshwane can be solved overnight. The scale of the work required is simply too great.
But I am committing myself to making reliable basic services the central priority of the next five years, backed by proper investment, maintenance and accountability.
Our residents should not have to accept repeated service failures as a normal part of life in the Capital City.
My fourth pledge is to restore the rule of law and make communities across Tshwane safer.
Over the next five years, we must strengthen the Tshwane Metro Police Department, expand our Reclaim Our City operations and enforce municipal by-laws fairly and consistently.
We will continue acting against dangerous buildings, unlawful businesses, infrastructure theft and activities that make our communities unsafe.
We must also work closely with SAPS, Home Affairs and other authorities where responsibilities fall outside the municipality’s powers.
I want Tshwane to be a city where residents feel safe in their neighbourhoods, legitimate businesses can operate without unfair competition from illegal activities, and public spaces are maintained for the benefit of our communities.
My fifth pledge is to put residents first and build a municipality that works for everyone.
This is ultimately about the kind of government I believe in.
I grew up understanding the importance of hard work, but also knowing that people need opportunities and support to build better lives.
That belief has shaped my approach to public service.
I want a municipality where residents are treated with respect, where officials respond when people need assistance, and where complaints do not simply disappear into the system.
We must improve customer care, resolve billing disputes faster, accelerate title-deed delivery and ensure that vulnerable households receive the support they qualify for.
We must also hold ourselves accountable through clear service standards and honest reporting on our performance.
And importantly, the quality of government you receive should never depend on where you live, how much you earn or which political party you support.
Tshwane belongs to all its residents.
Fellow residents,
These are the five commitments I am making to you today.
They reflect the values that guide ActionSA and the responsibilities I am prepared to accept if you entrust me with another five years as Mayor.
But I also believe that making a public pledge must mean something.
It is not enough for politicians to make commitments during an election campaign and expect residents to forget about them afterwards.
I want the people of Tshwane to hold me accountable for these pledges.
Judge our progress by whether your water and electricity become more reliable, whether your streets are maintained, whether your communities are safer, whether businesses and young people have greater opportunities, and whether your municipality treats you with the respect you deserve.
I also recognise that rebuilding Tshwane requires a partnership between government and residents. We must do our job, and we must work together to protect our infrastructure, respect the law and care for the communities we share.
We have started the work of restoring Tshwane, but I know that the job is far from finished.
Today, I am putting my name and signature to these five pledges because I believe public leadership must come with personal responsibility.
These are the commitments I am asking you to judge me against over the next five years.
Five pledges. One Capital. A City That Works.
Thank you.