DA launches scathing attack on Gauteng govt over unemployment

The DA has launched a scathing attack on Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s administration, accusing it of failing to curb rising unemployment in the province.

Gauteng’s unemployment rate has increased to 34.7 % with R2.7 million residents now jobless.

The DA’s Shadow MEC for Economic Development, Mike Moriarty, argues that the administration’s economic strategies and “Nasi Ispani” programme have not delivered sustainable jobs.

He says the provincial government should start with a practical approach to fighting crime to tackle unemployment.

“If you want to deal with crime, you’ve got to have better management of the police and you’ve got to have focused interventions that go after things like the kidnappings and the commercial crimes and fraud. And then with that, the syndicates that drive the violent crime that happens in our neighbourhoods.

“The other area is infrastructure. The investors want to know that you’ve got a secure water supply that’s going to continuously come without fail and electricity at the same time. And then there’s the problem of our roads and also the rail service. So you’ve got to deal with those,” says Moriaty.