Makhura speaks his mind about his fancied politics

Gauteng Premier, David Makhura.

Nie Cele

Gladwell Ntusi

Gauteng’s number one citizen Premier, David Makhura believes that teamwork by politicians can build an inclusive economy, safe and cohesive communities and good infrastructure that benefits all the residents of Gauteng.

Speaking during his state of the province address at Greenhills Stadium in Randfontein. He made a clarion call to all municipalities, especially the Executive Mayors, to embrace the need for collaboration and partnership between the provincial government and municipalities.

“We must rise above party political differences and partisanship in order to serve all the people as their servants. There can be no delivery to the people if we are embroiled in the rhetoric about winning the next election at all cost. Let us rather serve the people together at all cost”.

Makhura told the packed to rafters audience that there is a need to make politics more constructive, transformative and impactful on the lives of ordinary citizens.

“Politics must never be about the pomp and ceremony and the attendant rush to appear in the news.

 

Transformative politics must be about utilizing our budgets to radically transform lives and build sustainable livelihoods. It must be about the values of service and loyalty to the citizens.”

He also argued that,There is a need to return to value-based politics without which there can be no honour.

 

“Let us engage in the kind of politics that empower the youth to realise their dreams through access to better educational and entrepreneurship opportunities so that they can live independent and meaningful lives as productive and conscientious citizens.”

The Premier also reiterated and emphasised that this country needs the kind of politics that empower women to break the shackles of patriarchy by empowering them to playful their full role in the economy and society as equal citizens.

“Politics must be about building an economy that creates more jobs and includes blacks, women and youth.”

 

Referring to the recent much maligned health department tragedy , He said,

“Yes, we need a compassionate politics that protects the most vulnerable such as mental health patients and take steps to ensure that never gain should so many people die out of total neglect, arrogant treatment and lack of care by us in government.

 

 

I talk of the kind of politics that promotes social cohesion among all people regardless of their nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, class and race.”

 

 

His reasoning is that Politics must be about ensuring an accountable, responsive and clean government.

“We are not getting clean audits in order to please the Auditor General. We must do so, it is good leadership to manage public finances well and account for every rand we collect from tax payers and rates payers.

 

 

Politics must be about making a difference in the lives of others because we are servants of the people.”

 

With tongue in cheek Makhura said, I don’t know what type of politics you subscribe mine is a different type of politics. “Politics that respects evidence, enjoys a good argument and acknowledges sound reasoning even from the opponent.

I subscribe to the politics of optimism and hope even in the face of adversity and tragedy. I don’t subscribe to politics of doom and gloom; politics of the impending apocalypse wherein politicians make a career out of preaching that South Africa is about to collapse. If I didn’t believe in the power and agency of citizens to drive radical social and economic transformation, I wouldn’t be here.”

In this article Makhura was quoted word for word.