Political parties unpack KZN’s hot button issues

Premier candidates and senior members of political parties in KwaZulu-Natal spoke on Wednesday at the IOL Elections panel discussion, on a range of issues including unemployment, the state of infrastructure in the eThekwini Municipality and what was needed to fix challenges in the province.

The panel was made up of Thami Ntuli (IFP), Chris Pappas (DA), Magasela Mzobe (EFF), Zwakele Mncwango (ActionSA), Nonkululeko Hlongwane-Mhlongo (RISE Mzansi), Munzoor Shaik Emam (Allied Movement for Change) Mafika Mndebele (ANC), Sagren Moodley (Independent Candidate) and Seelan Archery (African Movement Congress).

On their party’s plans to stimulate the economy and create sustainable job opportunities, the DA’s premier candidate, Pappas, said stability in infrastructure, energy, water, rail and other facilities was needed.

“We need a government that says something and actually does it, so when the government says they are going to fix the infrastructure, they actually fix it.

“What we do not have at the moment is that commitment to create stability.”

The IFP’s Ntuli said the party would address the issue of instability in the province to ensure investors were attracted and business flourished.

“We will ensure that people on the ground participate in the development of their local economies by ensuring that we support them, and we emphasise this support in the small and medium enterprise sector.”

The ANC’s Mndebele said the reality was that the world was facing economic pressure.

He said investment in small and medium enterprises was crucial to offset this economic pressure.

“We need to turn KZN into an industrial town, the more clinics, schools and hospitals we build, the more conducive the environment becomes to attract business.

“The next focus should be on TVET colleges so that young people emerge with the skills that are responsive to job creation,” Mndebele said.

The EFF’s Mzobe said it was important to hire the unemployed doctors and teachers in the province.

“You cannot encourage the youth to go to school and you have unemployed doctors, and yet clinics are facing a situation where they need doctors.

“No investors are going to come into a country where there is no decisive leadership on policy positions.”

Shaik Emam said eThekwini was one of the worst performing municipalities in the country.

“The emphasis in KZN is not on fixing water infrastructure because the emphasis is on water tankers, because that is where there is money to be made,” he said.

He said the party would ensure that police officers were paid better, as this was a solution to crime and corruption.

“Let us pay them better and let us put policing as a subject on the school curriculum so that we identify those who have a passion for policing and bring them in.”

Archery said African Movement Congress was a civil society movement that is now a party contesting the elections.

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“We stepped up in order to fill the breach that was created by politicians and political parties that have run our country for more than 30 years.

“It requires all of us to fix this country, our diversity should be our strength in this province if not in this country.”

The Mercury