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Tshwane Multi-Party Coalition: Year of Exceptional Growth and Good Governance

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Tshwane Multi-Party Coalition: Year of Exceptional Growth and Good Governance:

GOOD Statement by Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General:

The GOOD Party congratulates the multi-party coalition government of the City of Tshwane on the tremendous achievements recorded during the past 12 months since being elected to office by the Tshwane Council in October 2024.

A 4.5% reduction in unemployment, confirmed by Stats SA, shows that the Capital City is indeed rising, fast. More jobs were created in Tshwane over the past year than the combined job gains of Johannesburg, Cape Town, Ekurhuleni and eThekwini, demonstrating the phenomenal success of the coalition’s economic strategy.

GOOD’s Councillor Sarah Mabotsa, the MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, has played a key role in driving this growth. GOOD’s position on economic development is clear: government must create the conditions for the private sector to create jobs – and this is happening in Tshwane.

In the past year, R86 billion in new private sector investment pledges have been secured, and 57,000 residents who were unemployed in December 2024 are now working and able to support their families.

The City’s financial turnaround is equally remarkable, from a series of unfunded budgets under the previous DA-led administration to a fully funded budget this year, improved credit ratings, and the repayment of more than R1 billion owed to Eskom. These are strong indicators of growing fiscal discipline and financial stability.

Under Mabotsa’s leadership, the department has supported more than 1,000 SMMEs through business development services and introduced an online business registration platform for traders, spaza shops, and informal businesses. Stats SA has reported a 21,000-job increase in the informal sector during the first six months of 2025.

Service delivery has also seen tangible improvement. The installation of 14 new high-mast lights in vulnerable communities and the repair of over 14,000 of the 18,000 reported potholes demonstrate a commitment to improving everyday life across the city. Lighting at night keeps neighbourhoods safer, reflected in SAPS data showing a reduction in nearly all categories of crime during the first half of 2025.

The City of Tshwane’s investment in communities at risk aligns strongly with GOOD’s proven strategy to reduce crime and improve quality of life through inclusive growth and responsive governance.

*The GOOD Party is a founding member of UNITE FOR CHANGE.

 

GOOD Youth Programs: GOOD has initiatives aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs.

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The Oriental Plaza: Architecture

Architecturally, the Plaza is a sprawling 17-hectare complex consisting of North and South malls linked by a three-story circular “Grand Bazaar.” But the true magic is in the sensory experience. Walking through the Plaza is an assault of colors and smells: rolls of exotic sari fabrics stacked to the ceiling, the scent of high-quality leather from shoe-repair stalls, and the aroma of toasted spices. It is a place where “bargaining” is an art form—unlike the fixed prices of Sandton, here you engage directly with the owner, often a third-generation merchant whose family was moved from Fietas fifty years ago.

The cultural heart of the Plaza is undoubtedly its food, specifically the legendary World of Samoosas. This small stall has become a local institution, famous for its unique sweet coconut samoosas and its “Nelson Mandela approved” status (the former president was a fan). Near the south entrance, you’ll find a blue heritage plaque marking Red Square. Long before the Plaza was built, this was an open square where the ANC and Communist Party held mass rallies, and where the Defiance Campaign was launched in 1952. The fact that a shopping mall now stands over this revolutionary ground is a poignant reminder of the city’s layered history. The Oriental Plaza didn’t just survive Apartheid; it outlasted the system that tried to use it as a cage, becoming a symbol of the “tenacity and trading ability” that defines the Johannesburg spirit.