ANC accuses Herman Mashaba of electioneering during his SOCA

The ANC in Johannesburg has accused city mayor Herman Mashaba of using his state of the city address to campaign for the DA. 

This, the ANC said, resulted in its councillors leaving the chamber where Mashaba issued his speech on Tuesday.    

"The state of the city address is an opportunity for the mayor to report back to the city’s residents on progress made thus far and to present the plans of his administration for the following financial year," the party said. 

"Today, Mashaba chose to use the platform to advocate for a change of government."

Mashaba is said to have suggested that in order to solve immigration problems, there must be a change of national government. 

The ANC challenged Mashaba to redo his speech without campaigning for his party. 

In his prepared speech, Mashaba made the following statements:

"On December 1 2016, I made a remark about illegal immigration that generated controversy in our city.

"After two-and-a-half years in government, I remain convinced, now more than ever, that our city faces a crisis of illegal immigration.

"In order to quantify the problem, 66 city-operated clinics in Johannesburg measured over the period of 2016 that over 32,000 undocumented foreigners received treatment at our clinics.

"In 2018, this figure rose to 83,000 which translated into 15-30% of all patients receiving medical treatment at our clinics.

"An audit of our social and RDP housing is under way, but early indications would demonstrate that a large number of the occupants of these facilities are undocumented foreign nationals.

"There can be no doubt that the immigration crisis in our country is contributing to pressures on government to provide services with limited funding.

"We remain committed to our Constitutional obligations, and recognise many law-abiding foreigners who want to contribute to our city but struggle because home affairs cannot process them as asylum seekers.

"As for me, I will not back down and be silenced on a matter that is impacting our city so fundamentally.

"I have engaged national government for over two years, and with three different ministers of home Affairs. I have found no support arising from these efforts.

"I have come to the view that illegal immigration will not be treated with any level of importance, until a different party occupies the Union Buildings."