Opposition parties in Tshwane are concerned that the newly signed service delivery agreement between AfriForum and the Tshwane Municipality will further compromise townships in the capital city.
This follows a decision by Tshwane’s Mayor, Cilliers Brink, to rope in AfriForum to help with maintenance work and safety and security related challenges in Tshwane.
Opposition parties want the agreement reversed.
The Tshwane-AfriForum five-year partnership agreement will focus on safety and security related issues. Maintenance will include fixing potholes, cutting grass and caring for parks among other issues.
But opposition parties have accused the DA-led multi-party coalition of failing in its core service delivery mandate, saying it is now turning to AfriForum for help.
They are also worried that this deal will not benefit people in the townships.
The Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) Obakeng Ramabodu says only the interests of Afrikaners will be served, while African National Congress (ANC) Tshwane Regional Secretary, George Matjile, called on the city to scrap the agreement.
The ANC and EFF emphasised that they are not against the city roping in external sources to help address pressing service delivery needs, they just don’t want AfriForum.
The parties say AfriForum is a pro-Afrikaner lobby group that might advance the needs of white communities over black and coloured townships.
Meanwhile, Mayor Brink says the signed agreement is to formalise their partnership with groups and businesses that work with the city to ensure that they operate within the rules of the municipality and follow authority.
AfriForum will apparently not be paid and the deal is not exclusive to it, but open to all organisations and companies that want to work with Tshwane to ease the burden of service delivery demands.
The City of Tshwane says the municipality is not outsourcing its responsibilities and will continue prioritising its core service delivery mandate to ensure residents’ needs are met.
More details about the Tshwane-AfriForum deal:
-Report by Monique Lewis
