Give+ANC+5+more+years,+Editorial,+The+Star



=Give ANC 5 more years=

The Star, Johannesburg, Editorial, February 28, 2006

 * By Editor**

South Africans go to the polls tomorrow for one of the most profound exercises in grassroots democracy. Some may argue that general elections, which decide members of the National Assembly and provincial legislatures, are more important. But there is nothing quite like the immediacy and intimacy of local government elections.

Tomorrow the country's people have the opportunity to make their voices heard and determine who runs their towns and cities.

More pertinently, residents of greater Johannesburg will determine the ward and, indirectly, the representatives on the proportional representation lists of the metros of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni on the East Rand, and the Mogale City municipality in the west.

And if you believe your ward representative or political party have not served your interests, punish them by voting for a suitable alternative.

The Star today, however, breaks with a tradition of several years of not supporting a political party by endorsing the African National Congress to run the two metros and Mogale City over the next five years.

Our primary reason for the endorsement is a belief that a regime change now is not going to be in the interest of the three local areas or their residents.

The billing crisis and power failures are some of the criticisms that can be levelled at the management of the three areas. But it's our belief that they have a credible plan to make greater Johannesburg a world-class African city. Proof of this is the regeneration of the CBD, the emergence of Ekurhuleni as one of the country's most important industrial hubs and successes in the provision of services for the poor.


 * Avoid Cape Town's turmoil**

We are not at all convinced by the alternative parties. The Democratic Alliance, in its previous incarnation, did not have a good history of running Johannesburg.

More critically, the party's stance since the advent of democracy has been crudely adversarial, especially in its dealings with central and provincial government.

We do not believe that a metropolis of Johannesburg's potential and current needs can afford the kind of negative disjuncture between those who run the city and those who run Gauteng and the country as a whole.

Johannesburg's future is highly dependent on this symmetry of political vision, will and direction. An adversarial relationship will serve only to reduce Johannesburg to the nightmarish political turmoil of Cape Town, which wastes time and bedevils development.

An example of the co-operative relationship required is the preparations the city requires to host the 2010 World Cup final, for instance.

Our city is one of huge economic and social disparities between the minority middle and upper classes and the majority who live in poverty in places such as Diepsloot, Alexandra and Thokoza.

The ANC now has a proven track record of maintaining the balance between the haves and the have-nots. While not neglecting the city's established suburbs, the three metros have moved commendably to provide basic services to the poorest of the poor in townships and squatter communities. If this balance is not maintained, we run the risk of sowing anarchy and revolution.

We therefore urge you to return to power the three local authorities under the mayorships of Amos Masondo, Duma Nkosi and Lentswe Mokgatle for another five years.


 * From: http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=225&fArticleId=3133717**

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