The former chairperson of the Black Business Council, Danisa Baloyi, has appealed to political parties in the City of Joburg to come together and make Johannesburg a city of opportunity once more.
Baloyi told “The Star” that she was concerned at the fast pace at which the city had decayed. She said business had moved out of the inner city because of safety concerns and issues that hampered the success of businesses operating there.
Her concerns come as the City of Joburg prepares to witness yet another motion of no confidence in its mayor, Mpho Phalatse.
For a number of years the City of Joburg has been operating through coalition governments, with frequent changes in the leadership of the city. This has resulted in the neglect of certain aspects of service delivery and in some cases has left residents in a hopeless situation.
Baloyi said she believed the City of Joburg could regain its former glory through the coming together of political parties and the election of a mayor with a long-term vision.
“The decay of Johannesburg is a major problem, we need to realise now that we are into multiparty governance. I am begging on my knees, can we forget what party we come from and put the people the people of Johannesburg first. We are Joburgers first then belong to parties after,” Baloyi said.
According to Baloyi big business could come back and invest in Johannesburg but certain conditions had to be met. Baloyi said sewage had to be cleaned from the streets. Formal business should receive attention and the streets must be safe for all.
“I believe that Johannesburg can rise to its former glory but people need to get over themselves and not stick to party politics. There are various types of investors but I believe that we should put our money where our hearts are. We should invest in this city,” she said.
Baloyi said she believed that the coalition government in the City of Joburg should consist of a generational mix of young and old, women and men, and people with disabilities. But most importantly, she said, the municipality needed a leader who was a visionary.
“It should be vision people need to have at the core of their being, a vision that will transform the city of Johannesburg. That vision should be translated into an implementable plan. We need lasting changes and someone who can say to people things will change,” she said.