Joburg mayoral candidate, Helen Zille, walks through the streets of Pimville in Soweto.
Image: Picture: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers
DA leaders Geordin Hill-Lewis, Helen Zille and Solly Msimanga on Monday engaged with residents and entrepreneurs in Soweto, focusing on economic resilience and the long-term building of community trust.
The visit highlighted the party’s stance on the role of government in job creation and the necessity of reliable infrastructure.
During the visit, the party’s newly elected Federal Chairperson, Msimanga, clarified the DA’s philosophy on employment. He argued that the primary responsibility of the state is not to create jobs directly, but to foster an environment where the private sector and resilient individuals can succeed.
Msimanga pointed to local entrepreneurs turning dump sites into businesses as evidence of South African resilience in the face of government failure. He outlined several key “basics” that the DA believes are essential for business growth.
Msimanga said that includes reliable utilities, which will in turn ensure a consistent water and electricity supply. He added that infrastructure maintenance and safety in the city would ensure businesses come to the city and invest in order to create jobs.
“You do that, you’ll find that businesses begin to thrive,” Msimanga stated, adding that such an environment leads to skill transfers and a better quality of life.
Addressing the massive R200 billion infrastructure backlog facing Johannesburg, Msimanga warned against “thumb-sucked big promises”. He noted that the scale of the challenge means change will not happen overnight and will likely extend beyond a single five-year term.
However, he emphasised that a credible government would “enthuse” the private sector and local business owners to invest more, which would eventually fast-track the necessary changes.
The visit also touched on the party’s long-term relationship with the community. Joburg Mayoral candidate Zille rejected the idea that the DA is only now beginning to build ground-level trust in Soweto.
Zille shared a personal connection to the area, noting she has been visiting Soweto since her teenage years through her father’s work with the Self-Help Association for Paraplegics.
Zille emphasised that trust is earned over time through consistent presence and good intentions. She stated that the party views every individual for who they are and aims to provide a fair chance for all children and grandchildren.
“People have got to get to know you, you’ve got to be there,” Zille remarked, echoing sentiments that trust must be built over a lifetime.
karabo.ngoepe@inl.co.za