/ 17 February 2006

Citizens are customers

<b>Simon Grindrod</b> for the Independent Democrats.

If I were mayor, I would work hard to repair and heal the damage created by the past five years of divisive politics in our city.

Careers, not council casual jobs, would be created by attracting investment. I would focus on the tourism industry, supporting it as best I can. I would make a plan to let the call centres come to Cape Town, not New Delhi. We would become the leading trainer of our own people.

If I were mayor, those who play by the rules would be honoured and acknowledged. The silent ones, patiently spending decades on a list, deserve to be given the home they were promised all those years ago. Those who shout loudest would not be served first. Access to a decent life would not depend on the allegiance of your vote.

People would learn to be proud of our city again. This starts with the appearance and attitude of our employees. It starts with not having streets that reek of urine.

Children could find a policeman if they were lost.

The citizens would be our customers and the city would become their servant.

Those who pay their rates and taxes will receive value for their hard-earned money. The people of our city would know that my party takes money from no interest group, no big business and no union.

The streets in Mitchells Plain would be as clean as those in Constantia. Fires would be extinguished as swiftly in Langa as they are in Higgovale.

A child in Lwandle would feel as valued as a child in Newlands. Profits could not be made from the misfortune of others. A vendor selling glue to a streetchild is guilty of a crime. It starts with the small things if the big things are to be put right. Entities which profit by polluting the air that belongs to us all will feel the full force of the law. If I were mayor, I would crack down on drugs.