Mlungisi Mabaso, the IFP's mayoral candidate for the City of Johannesburg, aims to restore Johannesburg to its glory days.
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Mlungisi Mabaso, the Inkatha Freedom Party's (IFP) mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, has unveiled his plans to return South Africa's largest city, to its former glory.
On Saturday, speaking at an event at the Jabulani Technical School in Soweto, Mabaso emphasised a revitalisation strategy that hinges on reducing dependency on government handouts while simultaneously creating robust employment and economic opportunities for residents.
"We are going to deal with issues of corruption. Our revenue base is very big in Johannesburg. So it does not justify the decline in revenue collection. This tells you that there are leaks in our system. Those are the things that we need to close so that we can collect sufficient money so that we can invest in infrastructure development," he stated.
Currently serving as a member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Human Settlements in Johannesburg, Mabaso highlighted the city’s excessive reliance on government grants and financial institution loans.
"We are reliant on grant payments from the government and loans we receive from financial institutions. This should not be the case," he argued.
Instead, Mabaso proposed a shift towards establishing a stable revenue base that would enable the city to thrive independently.
"We need a stable revenue base to help us build the city of Johannesburg. Over and above this, we have articulated in our rescue plan that the majority of people here are seeking economic opportunities. Our industrial sites have been invaded and converted into illegal residential areas. We need to reclaim those industrial sites."
Mabaso, who was appointed MMC for Human Settlements in the City of Johannesburg in 2024 by then mayor Kabelo Gwamanda, indicated that central to his vision is the need to ensure big businesses return to the city as investors.
"We need to create mass employment for our people. If more people can access those employment opportunities, that means more money for the City of Johannesburg and our economy, as people are not going to depend on the government. It is also going to assist in dealing with informalities," he said.
Echoing the sentiments shared by Mabaso,bIFP leader, Velenkosini Hlabisa reflected on the economic impact the City of Johannesburg has on the rest of the country's economy.
"Johannesburg, as I stated, is the economic hub of our country; if Johannesburg is working, South Africa will work."