By Charmaine Ndlela
Democratic Alliance (DA) Tshwane mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink on Friday used Workers’ Day to launch the party’s five-year plan for the capital, casting the election campaign as a mission to “get Tshwane working”.
Speaking at Mamelodi West Community Centre, outside the capital Pretoria, Brink said the focus was not on a traditional Workers’ Day rally but on setting out a governance plan to restore services, improve safety and rebuild the city’s economy.
“Because if the city works — if we have a steady supply of services, if the streets are safe, if there is value for what you pay — then investors will come, and the work will follow,” he said.
Brink described Tshwane as destabilised by political instability, coalition infighting and corruption, but said the DA had not “lost faith” in its ability to turn the city around through the vote.
He accused current leaders at Tshwane House of allowing the city to be “hijacked” by corruption networks, including a so-called “water tanker mafia” and politically connected contractors.
Brink said the DA’s plan marked a shift from opposition politics to a governing blueprint aimed at ending coalition instability and restoring accountability.
He said the party’s first priority would be to remove corrupt officials and curb tender-related corruption.
“We will restructure municipal management to create clear lines of accountability between Tshwane House and what is happening on the ground,” he said.
Brink said the DA would establish an anti-corruption unit reporting to the executive mayor and city manager, working with business and civil society and operating independently of internal systems.
The second pledge focuses on restoring law and order through technology-driven policing, including drones, CCTV and a centralised metro police command centre.
“We will establish a centralised command and control centre, supported by a computer-aided dispatch system, to track officers and incidents in real time, enabling faster responses and better use of resources,” he said.
Brink said the party would also create a Safety and Security Directorate with civilian oversight of the Tshwane Metro Police Department and Emergency Services.
He said the third priority would be to fix basic services — including electricity, water, roads and public lighting — through partnerships with the private sector.
“If we are going to improve basic services, we must not rely only on municipal officials and budgets. We need outside help,” he said.
“We will bring in private-sector partners, not just as funders but as operators, through performance-based contracts where payment is tied to results.”
Brink added that a Trading Services Directorate would be established to drive reforms from the centre, likening the approach to a municipal version of Operation Vulindlela.
He also pledged to leverage municipal assets — including power stations, the fresh produce market and Wonderboom Airport — to attract investment and create jobs.
“We will place these assets under professional management, with a mandate to maximise investment and job creation,” he said.
The final pledge centres on working with communities through initiatives such as City Improvement Districts to maintain cleaner and safer neighbourhoods.
Brink said the DA would expand such districts in key areas and provide emergency shelter to address unlawful land and building occupations.
Reflecting on his 18-month tenure as mayor, Brink said his administration made progress despite political challenges but was removed through a motion of no confidence for refusing to compromise on governance standards.
“We were removed from office not by voters, but by politicians, because we refused to tolerate poor-performing contractors,” he said.
Looking ahead to the elections, Brink said voters would decide the city’s future.
“Give us 50% and five years, and we will take back your city and get it working,” he said.
He said the DA aimed to govern in the interests of all residents, adding that Tshwane’s success depended on inclusive growth.
“This city will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless it is a good place for all of us,” Brink said.
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