Fellow Democrats,

It is great to be here in the City of Tshwane - our Capital City – and home of the Union Buildings.

As the Capital City and the seat of national government, Tshwane is a city which wields great power, and from which much is to be expected.

Every time I visit this city, I am reminded not just of its significance in our country’s past and present, but more importantly, I am reminded of its great potential.

I see a city full of untapped potential waiting to be unlocked.

I see a city with the potential to be a leader in the developing world.

I see a city with the potential to be the blueprint for how a modern African city ought to operate and ultimately thrive.

I see a city with the potential to be a jobs haven whereby thousands of South Africans can find meaningful employment, and better their lives.

Yet, unfortunately, as an ANC run city, Tshwane has been hamstrung by maladministration and incompetence, and is stuck in first gear.

Under ANC leadership, we have yet to move forward. This city could be and should be so much more that it currently is.

22 years after democracy, the people of Hammanskraal, of Atteridgeville, of Soshanguve, and of Mamelodi have yet to experience true freedom and opportunity.

Democrats, while this city faces a myriad of challenges, jobs and unemployment remains top of that list.

I’ve said it before and I’ll not stop saying it - the new struggle in South Africa is the struggle for jobs and employment.

In 1994, we as a country obtained political freedom - the freedom to vote. Yet economic freedom is still a pipedream for the 8.9 million jobless South Africans.

Everyone has a right to earn a living, accumulate wealth, live where we want, develop our talents and pursue our dreams. But without a job, we can never realise these freedoms.

The latest jobs stats released last week by StatsSA saws 40 000 more residents of the City of Tshwane join the ranks of the unemployed.

Since the beginning of this year, 40 000 more residents of this city unable to find work, and unable to experience an acceptable quality of life.

Democrats, the statistics are frightening. Currently, 517 000 people in this city cannot find work. And this number is increasing each and every year.

Unfortunately, this will not stop as long as the ANC remains in government here in Tshwane.

Democrats, first and foremost, we need a government that creates jobs.

The DA has been tested on this, and we deliver better than any other party in the country.

That is not opinion, or an electioneering tactic. It’s cold, hard fact.

In the City of Cape Town and Midvaal, where the DA is in power, unemployment is at the lowest. Why? Because we do everything in our power to ensure people have access to jobs.

The DA-run City of Cape Town has proved that even in a hostile national policy environment, local government can have a major impact on job creation by doing the basics right and creating a business-friendly environment. This is why at 21.7%, Cape Town has the lowest unemployment rate of any metro, with the other seven metros ranging from 27% to 37%.

That’s right - of all 8 metros in South Africa, the only DA-run metro has the lowest unemployment rate.

That is not coincidence, but as a result of good, clean, and intentional governance.

Yesterday I was in Midvaal, where our mayor, Bongani Baloyi, launched the Midvaal manifesto – a plan for another 5 years of clean governance, better service delivery, and the more jobs.

Midvaal is the only DA run municipality in Gauteng, and it boasts the lowest unemployment rate in the entire province – at 12%. Once again, not coincidence, but as a result of good, clean, and intentional governance.

The Midvaal story could be the Tshwane story come 3 August this year. The power is in your hands.

At local government level, the DA has created a comprehensive Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), which allocates job opportunities on a fair basis. Cape Town is currently the only metro that has implemented an impartial EPWP jobs allocation database, which has eliminated corruption by officials and councillors who hand out jobs to friends and family.

We paid out a total of R176 million in wages to EPWP jobs in 2014/15 alone – more than any other metro in the country. But we do not believe this is sufficient. That is why just last week in Parliament, the DA put forward a plan to make R1.2 billion more available in the budget to create 180 000 more EPWP work opportunities. Guess what the ANC did in Parliament?

They voted against it!

And then they will come here and promise jobs for the people of Tshwane.

The ANC cannot be trusted with a word they say, and they certainly cannot be trusted to bring economic freedom to the 8.9 million jobless South Africans.

In this local election, South Africans want opportunities to work. They want change that brings jobs. The story of how we have supported small business where we do govern, shows exactly how that change is possible.

The DA will continue to effect change that creates jobs and moves South Africa forward again.

Vote for change, vote for jobs, vote DA!