Latest news with #SollyMsimanga
Eyewitness News
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
As G20 Summit looms, Joburg DA says city in no shape to host global event
JOHANNESBURG - With less than three months until the G20 Summit, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg said the city is not prepared to host a global event. For the first time, South Africa will host the G20 summit, a gathering of the world's major economies, with Johannesburg selected as the host city. At a media briefing on Thursday morning, the DA's provincial leader, Solly Msimanga, raised the alarm over the state of the city. 'Streetlights are still a mess, potholes everywhere, we still have streets that are littered and those that have freshwater and sewer flowing. We still have hijacked buildings and issues of security, and therefore, we're still asking what is happening here.'
Eyewitness News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
DA's Msimanga says he'll give his 'left kidney' if Lilian Ngoyi Street repairs completed by end of August
JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng said it doubted that repairs to Lilian Ngoyi Street in the Johannesburg CBD will be finished by the end of August. The street was severely damaged by an underground gas explosion exactly two years ago. Repair work is underway, with the city promising the road will be opened to the public on 31 August. The DA visited the site to assess the progress of the ongoing repairs. With just over a month remaining before the City of Johannesburg plans to reopen Lilian Ngoyi Street, doubts have emerged about the metro will meet its own deadline. When Eyewitness News visited the site earlier this year, the city was busy installing new underground pipes and laying concrete slabs to reinforce the road. Construction teams are currently working on the road's foundation, but there are no indications that asphalt will be applied anytime soon. DA Gauteng leader, Solly Msimanga, said he did not expect the road to be open to the public by the end of August. "By August, if anything is completed here, I will give you my left kidney. We have now been told that over R200 million has been spent to fix this but nothing has been fixed." The city said it would provide an official update on their progress later on Tuesday.
Eyewitness News
22-07-2025
- Eyewitness News
DA's Msimanga says delays in completing Bree Street repairs appalling
JOHANNESBURG - It's been two years since an underground gas explosion ripped through Lilian Ngoyi Street in the Johannesburg CBD, and repairs to the 1.8km stretch remain incomplete. Commonly referred to as Bree Street, the city has been working to restore the damaged road, with a contractor still active on site. READ: Only 15% of work to restore Bree Street completed following 2023 gas explosion, says Morero The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is now conducting a site visit to assess the progress of the repairs along this once-bustling corridor. What was once among the busiest streets in Johannesburg's CBD remains a construction zone, with nearby businesses bearing the brunt. Repairs to the corridor were originally scheduled for completion in November last year, but the City of Johannesburg now said the work will be finished by the end of August. The delays were due to disputes with a previous contractor, and a new company has since taken over the project. DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga said the delays were appalling. "We have been told this place will be ready by end of August or beginning of September. It's not going to happen." Almost R200 million was allocated to fix the road.
IOL News
16-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
In the DA, upward mobility is conditional
The recent speculation that Helen Zille, the Democratic Alliance's federal chairperson, might be considering a run for Johannesburg mayor in the 2026 local elections is sending shockwaves through both the party and the broader political landscape. Whether or not Zille has formally applied for the candidacy, the mere suggestion has already reignited longstanding questions about the DA's internal politics, its commitment to transformation, and its approach to leadership in diverse, urban constituencies like Johannesburg. At the heart of the controversy is the uncomfortable question of race and trust in black leadership within the DA. Over the years, the party has battled to shake off its image as a white-dominated institution, despite earnest efforts at diversification. Figures like Mmusi Maimane and Solly Msimanga have represented a more inclusive DA, often speaking to communities who've historically felt alienated from the liberal-centrist party. Yet each time the party appears to make headway in this regard, it finds itself retreating — either through resignations, internal coups, or the reassertion of its old guard. The rumours of Zille's possible candidacy bring this dynamic into sharp relief. If the DA is serious about building a party that reflects the country's demographics and embraces a new generation of leadership, why is it even entertaining the idea of recycling a former party leader — an old white woman whose politics and public statements have defended colonialism and drawn criticism for tone-deafness on race? Johannesburg is no ordinary metro. It is the country's economic engine, its most populous and racially diverse city, and a political minefield riddled with coalition instability, service delivery issues, and deep voter scepticism. Governing this city requires not just administrative skill, but legitimacy — and that legitimacy must come from a leader who understands, represents, and is trusted by its people. Solly Msimanga, a former mayor of Tshwane and current senior DA figure in Gauteng, is the kind of leader who arguably fits that profile, so why isn't his name leading the conversation? Is the DA once again reverting to what many critics call 'the white fallback', where black leadership is embraced in theory, but pushed aside when the real power moves are made? The optics of Zille parachuting into Johannesburg from the Western Cape — where the DA enjoys a strong base — are troubling. It raises the perception that when the DA is in trouble, it turns not to renewal, but to rescue by the old guard. Worse, it sends a dangerous signal to younger, black leaders in the party: that upward mobility is conditional, that your position is secure only until the party gets nervous, at which point 'the Madam' will step in and take the wheel. This isn't just about Zille. It's about what her rumoured candidacy represents in the broader context of South African politics. The DA has long presented itself as the alternative to ANC misrule, but if its internal decisions continue to reinforce a top-heavy, Western Cape-centric, and racially skewed power structure, that alternative loses credibility. Indeed, some within the party are already expressing concern, albeit quietly, about what a Zille candidacy could do to internal cohesion. The DA has worked hard to stabilise itself after a tumultuous few years marked by high-profile departures, electoral setbacks, and growing ideological rifts. The Zille factor remains a divisive one; others view her as a symbol of the party's resistance to change. Bringing her back into an executive mayoral role — in a city she hasn't lived in for years — risks tearing open old wounds. It could alienate black leaders who have patiently worked their way up the ranks, and who may now question whether there's a ceiling to their ambitions. It could spark fresh factionalism within Gauteng, a province where the DA has struggled to maintain unity and electoral momentum. And it could tarnish the party's public image as it heads into one of its most important elections in a decade. Zille herself has, in the past, defended her involvement in party processes as being about principles and values, not personal ambition. She has also argued that competence should trump identity politics. But in a country like South Africa, with its deeply racialised history and present, leadership cannot be separated from identity. Representation matters — not as a symbolic gesture, but as a marker of political trust and democratic progress. If the DA wants to be taken seriously as a national government-in-waiting, it must prove that it's capable of evolving. That means empowering a new generation of leaders who reflect the country's demographics, understand its challenges from lived experience, and can build trust in communities where the DA still struggles for acceptance. It means not defaulting to the same faces when the stakes are high. The decision to consider or reject Zille's candidacy will not just affect Johannesburg; it will send a message to every DA supporter, volunteer, and potential voter about what kind of party this is — and what kind of future it imagines. If the party retreats to the safety of old leadership, it may win a battle in Johannesburg but lose the larger war for national relevance and credibility. The DA stands at a crossroads. It can either double down on the past or make way for a future that looks, feels, and leads differently. Zille may be experienced, but her return to executive politics, especially in Johannesburg, may be one move too many. It risks deepening the party's internal fractures and undermining the very inclusivity the DA claims to champion. In the end, the question isn't just whether Zille wants the job — it's whether the DA can afford a narrative that 'the Madam always gets what she wants' Sifiso Mahlangu is the editor of The Star
IOL News
07-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
DA cries foul over Joburg task team snub - but refuses to join provincial unity government
DA Gauteng Leader Solly Msimanga urges President Ramaphosa to ensure long-term, sustainable solutions for Gauteng's deteriorating infrastructure, stressing that the G20 summit should be a catalyst for lasting improvements for residents. Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has slammed its exclusion from President Ramaphosa's Johannesburg crisis task team, claiming it could play a key role in saving the city from further collapse. The party's Gauteng provincial leader Solly Msimanga said the party could have played a meaningful role in the president's initiative to rescue Johannesburg, had it been included in the process. 'We want to be part of the solution, our councillors are having the worst time ever, representing their wards but not getting responses from the council. So this is why it's for us to be part of the solution,' he said. This is despite the DA refusing to be part of the Government of the Provincial Unity (GPU), accusing Premier Panyaza Lesufi of not wanting to work with them as well as not taking national orders from his party. The DA presented what they termed as a 'True State of Johannesburg' on Tuesday in Joburg to address what they call the real challenges the city faces. This as Mayor Dada Morero prepares to deliver his State of the City Address (SOCA) on Wednesday afternoon. Msimanga's remarks come a month after President Cyril Ramaphosa, announced plans to offer presidential intervention to help the Johannesburg Metro reclaim its status. The intervention comes after Morero admitted that the city's state was bad and requested strong support from the national government to tackle their problems, which have been ongoing for many years. The working group will involve all tiers of government and make use of the experience of important stakeholders. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ A wide range of regional stakeholders, including members from the business community, labour unions, and civil society organisations, will back this project. The presidential task force was given two years to complete its duties. Ramaphosa expressed disappointment at the city's bad governance, ranging from poor road infrastructure, water shortages, load shedding, lawlessness, corruption, broken traffic lights, and crime.
