The Gauteng premier candidates from the Democratic Alliance, ActionSA, Rise Mzansi, and Build One South Africa all agree that the province's infrastructure has been neglected over the years, crime and corruption have festered, and ethically compromised people have been appointed to key positions. They propose fixing crumbling roads, electricity, and water infrastructure as the centrepiece of their plans to help return the province to its former glory, boost investments, create new jobs, and improve quality of life.
During a Daily Maverick debate on 9 May, the Gauteng premier candidates for four parties outlined their policy positions and proposals on job creation, fixing the water and electricity crisis, and powers that provincial governments need to set the service delivery agenda. The ANC and EFF declined invitations to take part in the debate.
Solly Msimanga, the DA leader in Gauteng, estimated that the province's infrastructure investment and maintenance backlog stood at R500-billion. The neglected spending on infrastructure by previous ANC-led administrations in the Gauteng province has resulted in the unreliability of electricity and water supply as well as the dysfunction of passenger rail services. When infrastructure is fixed, investment from the private sector will naturally follow, resulting in more people being employed.
Reuben Masango of ActionSA supported Msimanga’s views, adding that infrastructure investments and maintenance should also extend to human settlements. He suggested turning bad and hijacked buildings into low-cost housing to improve infrastructure and provide housing for people, as well as create jobs for skilled people such as artisans. ActionSA’s jobs plan is also predicated on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs) and ensuring that the operating environment is enabling their growth.
While Rise Mzansi and Build One South Africa believe that infrastructure investments are key to improving service delivery and creating jobs, both parties believe the approach to job creation needs a rethink. The Gauteng province has the fifth largest official unemployment rate (after the Eastern Cape, North West, Free State, and Mpumalanga) of 33.8% during the last three months of 2023. Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster, a leader of Build One South Africa (Bosa), said the Gauteng province has relied far too long on the mainstream sectors in the economy to create jobs, which hasn't worked. She argued that Gauteng needs to focus on reviving sectors such as manufacturing, entrepreneurship, and entertainment.
Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, the Rise Mzansi Gauteng premier candidate, outlined the party’s plan to grow the economy and create over 600,000 new jobs over the next five years, which also involves stimulating the province’s manufacturing capabilities. She outlined the party’s plan to invest in strategic industries such as manufacturing, green, business processing, and outsourcing.
In dealing with the water and electricity crisis in Gauteng, Rise Mzansi proposed dealing with poor governance in the province by appointing capable people to key positions and taking a tough stance on corruption. At a service delivery level, Ramokgopa said the province should embrace the private sector as a partner for delivery to fund the R100-billion required to improve water infrastructure and subsidise poor households for solar panel installations to deal with frequent power outages in the province.
