How Malema plans to change our towns

01 May 2016 - 02:01 By QAANITAH HUNTER

EFF leader Julius Malema wants voters to give the party a chance for five years only. If it failed to deliver, "You can kick us out," he said.EFF leader Julius Malema wants voters to give the party a chance for five years only. If it failed to deliver, "You can kick us out," he said.A detailed picture of an EFF municipality was presented to more than 40000 supporters at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto yesterday.Malema described how an EFF-run municipality would operate and how an EFF councillor would have to act.The EFF manifesto is one of the most detailed to be launched by a political party in South Africa in the run-up to the local government elections - with the highest number of supporters in attendance.The EFF's manifesto promises, much like those of the ANC and DA, to focus on corruption, jobs and delivery of quality services. But the specifics set it apart.Malema said: "We don't go around dishing out promises. Revolutionaries make commitments."The party described its manifesto as "cogent, practical and workable"."Everything we say, we will do it. We don't play with our people and their emotions," Malema said.The manifesto contains promises to dramatically change the work of local government, introduce a six-day service week, procure 50% of basic goods from local communities and abolish the use of consultants.Malema said the EFF would put an end to cadre deployment in municipalities. "We want the right man for the right job. We want the right woman for the right job ... not someone who is politically connected."The EFF promised to destroy all apartheid symbols and statues and rename all streets that had apartheid names.It would also nationalise land to house poor people. 'Open six days a week' • An EFF municipality will expropriate land without compensation;• We want to give you unlimited Wi-Fi in public spaces. Don't use Wi-Fi to watch porn. Go to useful sites! It [Wi-Fi] must help you access jobs;• EFF councillors be warned: if you're corrupt, you're fired with immediate effect;• If you're a councillor in Soweto and you go live in Midrand, that's the end of your job. We'll elect a new councillor;• Every councillor must make his or her cellphone number public. They must be accessible 24 hours;• We'll name streets after our heroes. There will be nothing that is named after apartheid people under an EFF municipality;• We're not going to hire anyone on the basis that they're EFF leaders. We'll hire you based on your qualifications. We're tired of the ANC hiring teachers who majored in geography to be in charge of technical services;• An EFF-led municipality won't use consultants;• EFF municipalities will be open six days. Workers must be able to access municipalities on weekends;• We won't build bicycle lanes when people live in shacks;• We don't want a municipality that gives people houses in exchange for sex. We want one that will bury the poor; and• We want a municipality that will give people jobs, that will look after the elderly and orphans...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.