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Trade union Solidarity said today that the newly elected mayor of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, can contribute to a thriving economic capital if he stands by his convictions. The trade union also congratulated Mashaba on his election as mayor.

According to Dr Eugene Brink, political analyst at the Solidarity Research Institute, it is imperative that Mashaba takes decisive action with regards to several matters of concern such as corruption, merit appointments and promoting a free-market system.

Firstly, Brink states, corruption should be declared enemy number one. “The amount of wasteful and fruitless spending shows that tenderpreneurship is thriving in the Gauteng metropolitan areas while everyday corruption by public servants also pose a major problem,” Brink said.

Brink stressed that merit should be the prevailing factor when officials are appointed or retained and that good governance must be a priority. “Appointments based on race and political affiliation must stop so that the knowledge and skills of the best people can be utilised to serve the residents. In addition, weak and clumsy management systems must be shunted out and improved so that operational objectives can be achieved as inexpensively and efficiently as possible. At the same time, the state’s role and size should be restricted. There are many unnecessary positions, especially in the large metropolitan areas, that have been created merely to provide someone with a job without calculating the cost to the taxpayer or considering the real purpose of these positions. A thorough audit of the necessity of all positions should be conducted soon,” Brink explained.

Brink furthermore said that the administrations of both Johannesburg and Tshwane should be as business-friendly as possible and, through enhancing the free-market system, create an environment that is conducive for small business enterprises to do business and create jobs. “Eventually, the government must create more working and paying residents so that service delivery can be excellent, but at the same time there should not be too much interference in people’s lives,” Brink explained.

Issued by Solidarity