Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s State of the Province Address (Sopa) has been met with scepticism and criticism from opposition parties, who claim that his speech lacked substance and concrete plans to address the province’s pressing challenges.
Lesufi laid bare his plans for the province for the next 12 months and announced 13 key priorities aimed at addressing the most pressing challenges, and getting Gauteng working at the Sopa on Monday night.
However, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) provincial chairperson, Nkululeko Dunga, expressed disappointment with Lesufi’s failure to provide a comprehensive plan of action to tackle the province’s problems.
“What we are extremely aggrieved by is that inasmuch as he speaks about the challenges, he does not speak about an in-depth programme of action,” Dunga said.
He stressed the speech lacked an action plan.
“If you look at the infrastructure of schooling, we have over 5 500 classes in shortage. And 18 schools will not assist in creating and ensuring that there is a backlog that is sustained and is corrected,” Dunga added.
The EFF also said the speech was nothing more than “another collection of empty promises that will not bring real change to the lives of ordinary people”.
Provincial DA leader Solly Msimanga was equally unimpressed, saying Lesufi’s speech was nothing more than “hot air” and empty promises.
“We have heard nothing here,” Msimanga said, adding that he felt “abused” after spending three hours listening to the speech.
Msimanga also criticised Lesufi’s claims of creating thousands of jobs, saying that it was just a drop in the ocean compared to the over 2.5 million Gauteng residents who are currently unemployed.
The DA further called on Lesufi to provide a detailed action plan to tackle the province’s problems. “We need to see tangible results and not just empty promises.
“Lesufi highlights 13 problems confronting Gauteng; what he fails to acknowledge is that these are ANC-created problems,” Msimanga added.
ActionSA’s provincial leader, Funzi Ngobeni, commended Lesufi for identifying water as a pressing issue but expressed disappointment with his lack of short-term solutions.
“But the truth is, these are long-term solutions. We also need interventions that are short term, including dealing with what’s happening in the municipalities,” Ngobeni said.
The Freedom Front Plus’s Anton Alberts was cautiously optimistic, suggesting that it was partially influenced by the internal dynamics within the ANC.
“The premier is in serious political trouble. His party only received 34% last week, and polls show their declining support,” Alberts said.
Build One South Africa said they were unconvinced that the Gauteng government’s decision to allow Eskom and City Power to take over the Emfuleni and Eikenhof pump stations will work.
In his outline of the 13 key challenges facing the province, Lesufi highlighted water shortages, cable theft, non-functional traffic lights, potholes, crime, and unemployment.
However, opposition parties argue that Lesufi’s speech lacked concrete plans and time lines to address these challenges.