Herman Mashaba

Joburg Mayor says he will slash unemployment, or resign

Mayor Herman Mashaba made ambitious promises in his first inaugural council address on Tuesday, vowing to cut unemployment in the city by 6%, or resign.

Herman Mashaba

“If I don’t bring down unemployment by 6% in five years, I will voluntarily step down in five years. This demonstrates my commitment to the people of this city.”

He promised to end corruption in the City’s administration and said he had already sent a number of cases to be investigated.

Mashaba told the council that job creation would be a core priority in his administration.

He had reached an agreement with his department heads that all plans and policies be aligned with the goal of achieving a 5% economic growth rate for the city. He said his officials had presented him with a projected target of 2.5% economic growth.

“This is simply not good enough. Because to accept 2.5% economic growth would mean we accept that we will not make a dent in the number of unemployed people in our city. I cannot accept this.”

He also promised to stabilise and strengthen waste removal company Pikitup.

Mashaba promised to clear a backlog of 2 080 illegal dumping sites. The City would begin enforcing by-laws at these sites with the help of metro police, he said

Read Herman Mashaba’s first statement as Mayor:

Six key points from Herman Mashaba’s first statement as Jozi mayor