Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) president Julius Malema has made bold promises to Nelson Mandela Bay residents, vowing to provide free water and electricity to all social grant recipients and upgrade decaying infrastructure if the party takes control of the metro after the 4 November local government elections. Malema made these statements at the party's manifesto launch on Saturday, 3 October, at Motherwell Stadium in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.
Malema's promises stretch well beyond the powers and responsibilities of local government, including increasing social grants and providing free school meals and uniforms. He stated that pensioners receiving social grants should not have to pay for expensive water and electricity, as they are poor. Malema also emphasized that electricity should be affordable and reliable, criticizing Eskom's profit-driven approach to electricity sales.
The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality's electricity department is currently running at a deficit of over R1-billion, with rates used to subsidize the cost of buying bulk electricity from Eskom. The municipality is also struggling to maintain its water infrastructure, with approximately 7,000 active leaks along its 4,700km network of decaying pipelines. Malema did not explain how the financially struggling metro would afford to provide free water and electricity to social grant recipients.
Malema promised to increase the grant for pensioners to R4,500, citing the importance of senior citizens in holding poor families together. He also emphasized that social grants do not come from the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and therefore encouraged the elderly not to vote for the ANC out of fear of losing their grants. Malema stated that the best people to receive social grants are grandmothers, as they take care of the entire family.
Malema also made promises about education, stating that children in school should be fed three times a day and that free education in the form of books and uniforms should be mandatory. He criticized the current government for providing "match-box sized" and substandard RDP houses, promising that the EFF would construct bigger and better houses for families. Malema emphasized the need for quality and dignity for the black child.
The EFF leader's promises have raised questions about how they would be funded, as education and social grants are primarily the responsibility of national and provincial governments, not municipalities. Malema did not provide clear explanations for how the municipality would fund these measures, instead criticizing the ANC government for its perceived failures.
Malema's manifesto launch was attended by hundreds of supporters who braved the rain and waited almost three hours for the EFF leader to take the stage. The EFF's proposals have sparked debate about the role of local government and the feasibility of such ambitious promises.
Key points
- Malema promises free water and electricity to social grant recipients in Nelson Mandela Bay.
- EFF leader outlines plans to upgrade RDP houses and provide better education and social services.
- Promises have raised questions about funding and feasibility, given the limitations of local government powers.
