Siyabonga Sithole
JOHANNESBURG – The president of the Patriotic Alliance (PA) and executive mayor of the Central Karoo District, Gayton McKenzie has promised to build 60 solar farms in the area, and also expand business opportunities and jobs for citizens.
On Sunday, the businessman turned politician addressed members of the party through another Facebook Live interview in which he said he set out his plans for the people of the Central Karoo.
“We will build 16 solar farms here and people must come as there will be jobs around here… My plan is simple: our people should be given job opportunities and we want the Central Karoo to be the energy hub of South Africa. We are going to build Central Karoo. We want to build the Free State and we want to build South Africa. Jobs are going to come and we want you, our people, to be successful. We can't all get jobs but other people among us must create jobs for others,” he said.
The small Western Cape town of Beaufort West is one of the poorest areas in the province with unemployment and poverty having reached critical levels in recent years.
McKenzie is adamant that the area is not poor but under-resourced and under-explored, which is why the mayor has in recent months called on businesses to invest in the area.
“There are opportunities here. On Tuesday, I am meeting with four billionaires who are interested in investing in the area. We cannot blame white people when we have been in power for 28 years.
“The days of blaming other people has an export date. Singapore and China have been able to oil their people out of poverty. We need to start thinking like the Chinese government, who were able to pull more than 600 million of their people out of poverty,” the PA leader said.
McKenzie also used the opportunity to lash out at communists who behaved like capitalists, adding that the ideology of the PA was simply about creating jobs for the people of Beaufort West and those parts of the country where the party governs either alone, or in coalition with other political parties.
“Our ideology is simple. It is jobs and ensuring a better life for our people. We do not talk about Marxism or communism like the SACP, which is communism but their leaders drive Mercedes-Benzes that cost R 1 million. Their ideology is Marxism but their actions are capitalist and do not speak to their core values.
“ Jobs and total eradication of poverty is our ideology as Patriotic Alliance. We must ensure that the quality of the lives of our people improves. What’s the use of slogans and ideology and being a member in good standing when the lives of people do not improve,” McKenzie said.
The former motivational speaker and author of Hustlers Bible also put his head on the chopping block, saying he too should be judged on the basis of his performance, especially since his 100 days in office are due next month.
“We are going to embarrass politicians because we do politics differently. We will do more than we have promised and we will fix potholes, we will fix swimming pools and we will bring bucket toilets to an end. If I do not deliver on my promises. You are welcome to fire me,” he said.
The Star