The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng Solly Msimanga has called on Premier Panyaza Lesufi to outline a detailed plan to prove that all the promises he made before the elections were not fake.
Lesufi made several promises including introducing the Nasi Ispani initiative to help fight poverty, corruption, and crime in the province.
“If Lesufi truly cared about the residents of this province, he would take them into his confidence and admit that all the initiatives he announced earlier this year were only an electioneering campaign,” Msimanga said.
Lesufi is expected to deliver his State of the Province Address (SOPA) in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni on Thursday.
This is his second SOPA this year but this one will be delivered under a new setup, the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU). This is because the 7th administration is already in place.
The GPU came after the national government constituted a new system called the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The SOPA will also provide an opportunity for Lesufi to table the Gauteng Provincial Government’s Plan of Action over the next five years under the GPU.
During the SOPA, Lesufi will report on the progress made on the commitments during the previous SOPA in February 2024.
In the first SOPA, Lesufi promised to eradicate Gauteng’s 700 informal settlements, saying the provincial government has bought land to address the issue.
Msimanga also urged the premier to make public where the Nasi Ispani programme is getting its funding from.
He further called on Lesufi to deliver on his promise to do lifestyle audits of his cabinet members.
“It is now time for action, not just talk. Lifestyle audits need to be made available to the public as a matter of urgency,” he added.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
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