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DA mayoral candidate in Johannesburg Herman Mashaba says he could be trusted to spend public funds prudently because, unlike his counterparts in the ANC, he did not join politics for self-enrichment.
The millionaire businessperson told City Press yesterday on a campaign trail in Princess informal settlement, just outside Roodepoort in Johannesburg, that the social unrest that played out in Tshwane this week was about leaders fighting to control government resources.
“Fortunately enough, I am not in this role like my competitors. They are in the political fold to make money. That is why they are killing each other in Pretoria – so that they can be next to [take] government resources,” he said.
Mashaba said he had helped communities before as a businessperson, but serving as mayor would be more fulfilling.
“I have been involved in corporate social investments, spending my money, family money and business money in helping communities,” he said.
He added that he had thought working in the private sector was a tough job, “but this one is almost impossible. But what gives me the inspiration is that the more I get sucked into it, the more I realise that privileged South Africans like myself really need to be the ones playing this role”.
Mashaba said it was telling that no senior ANC leader had been arrested in connection with the violence in Tshwane, despite State Security Minister David Mahlobo saying earlier this week that he knew the people who were behind the violence.
“Has he brought them to book? He has not because they know this is ANC-driven violence,” Mashaba said.
He said it was worrying that even after five people lost their lives, President Jacob Zuma did not intervene. “His quietness is worrying,” said Mashaba.
This week, the ANC in Gauteng confirmed that mayor Parks Tau would become the face of the party’s campaign in Johannesburg, contesting against Mashaba.
Mashaba said yesterday that Tau was “a great gentleman and human being, but he has failed the people of Johannesburg”.
He said Tau, according to the Auditor-General, presided over R4.2 billion in unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure in Johannesburg.
He said the Auditor-General had recommended investigations to establish whether or not there was any corruption. “But we have heard nothing from Tau. He is very quiet,” said Mashaba.
