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Johannesburg's new mayor vows better services

Xinhua, August 24, 2016 Adjust font size:

Newly elected Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba on Tuesday vowed to correct the mismanagement and decay that has resulted in worsening service delivery in South Africa's economic powerhouse.

Mashaba, a member of the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), became Johannesburg's mayor after the ruling African National Congress (ANC) failed to get support from smaller parties to form a coalition government in the city.

This is the first time that the ANC lost Johannesburg, South Africa's largest metro, to the opposition since 1994 when apartheid was brought to an end.

In the August 3 local government elections, the ANC failed to get more than 50 percent of the votes to govern Johannesburg.

This led to the DA working with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and other political parties unseating the ANC from governing the metro.

"The new administration has partners, and I thank them for their support. I especially thank the EFF for placing their trust in me to lead this City," Mashaba said in his inaugural address.

"Now is not the time for political squabbles. We face great challenges that no party can confront on its own. It is time for all of us to roll up our sleeves and get working," Mashaba said.

The DA has a positive vision and plan for this City, with a focus to create jobs, deliver better services and eliminate corruption from this administration, according to Mashaba.

No one can deny that the biggest challenge facing the city is the soaring unemployment confronting over 800, 000 people, he said, adding that job creation will be the number one priority of the new administration.

The city will conduct a full forensic audit of the its finances and administrative structures in a bid to fight corruption, added Mashaba. Enditem