DA selects Herman Mashaba as Joburg Mayoral candidate

I don't normally put someone else's press statement on my blog but this announcement is a potential game-changer so I am making an exception.

I have known Herman Mashaba for ten years in business and more recently politics. I know him to be a forthright, no-nonsense individual who will add a new dimension to SA politics, now that he has thrown his hat into the ring. 

For him to put a life-long career in business on hold and dedicate himself to the DA winning, then running, the City of Joburg, is a measure of the man and I applaud him for his self-sacrifice and patriotism.

Below is his press statement  in full:

Democratic Alliance press statement by
Herman Mashaba
DA Mayoral Candidate for Johannesburg

I am ready to bring change to Johannesburg as DA Mayoral Candidate

DA Soweto West Constituency vocal on racism and jobs - featured on Soweto TV

My constituency, Soweto West, marched against racism and unemployment in Protea Glen last Saturday. We were joined by a crew from Soweto TV who produced a 2 minute clip which was aired on the Monday evening and Tuesday morning news bulletins.

You can watch it here

Then on Tuesday our Constituency  Secretary, Billy Nyaku, was interviewed on the News and Views show which aired that evening. You can see the interview here.

Press release - Democratic Alliance Soweto West constituency marches for jobs

Democratic Alliance media statement by

Toby Chance MP

Soweto West Constituency leader

Democratic Alliance Soweto West constituency marches for jobs

                                                                                                              

12 January 2016

Release: Immediate

The Democratic Alliance Soweto West constituency recently marched against the high unemployment rate in Soweto.

In attendance was the DA Soweto West constituency leader, Toby Chance MP, Councillor Makatisane Papo, DA Activists and the Protea Glen Community members.

Unemployment is the primary challenge in the lives of South Africans at present and the march demonstrated the DA’s commitment to presenting solutions to this issue.

BizNews picks up my opionion piece on Economic Exclusion

Alec Hogg's website BizNews publishes my opinion piece this morning - it appeared on this blog a few weeks ago but in case you missed it you can read it here.

A desperate appeal for justice - the City of Joburg must hang its head in shame and cough up!

This morning I was copied on an email from Tshepo Kguaudi, whose tale of woe I wrote about on this blog some weeks ago - click here for the post.

Mr Kgaudi's business was destroyed by a combination of factors, chief amongst which was general inaction and negligence by the City of Johannesburg. The Public Protector issued a report in December last year detailing the remedial action expected from the City. To date, the City has done nothing and continues to obfuscate and delay.

This is typical of an institution which arrogantly ignores the welfare of its residents. The City says it supports small businesses, but this is just one more example that disproves this claim.

Any assistance readers of this blog can give to putting pressure on the City to reach a settlement with Mr Kgaudi will be welcome.

Read his email below:

Chance Brothers - Lighting the World

During a visit to the UK in July I recorded an interview with broadcaster Graham Fisher, who lives in Birmingham and specialises in the history and heritage of the West Midlands. The interview was arranged by Mike Gibbs, publisher of History West Midlands Magazine, who has done so much to revive interest in what became known as the Black Country, the heart of Britain's industrial revolution.

In the interview I relate some of the factors leading to Chance Brothers becoming a major industrial enterprise from its founding in 1824 by my great great great uncle Robert Lucas Chance to the final closing of its doors in 1981. You can listen to the interview here.

Much of the interview focused on arguably the firm's best known product - lighthouse lenses and associated equipment - which can still be found lighting sealanes and harbours around the world. This is the subject of my book Lighthouses: The race to illuminate the world, published in 2008. For more info on the book you can visit my website here.

Listen also to this interview with Ray Drury, the last Chief Engineer at the Chance Brothers factory in Spon Lane, Smethwick. He reminisces about his experiences from being an apprentice draftsman in 1949 to his tearful locking of the gates of the flat glass plant for the last time in 1976.

Letter to Business Day - Minister needs to re-enter debate

Business Day has published my letter today calling on Minister Lindiwe Zulu to re-enter the debate on labour reform, among other things.

You can read here at BDLive or in full below:

Dear Sir

For Minister Lindiwe Zulu to earn the moniker “driver of change” (Drivers of change must pull together to restart economy, Peter Attard Montalto, 24 November) she first needs to do the following:

1.      Re-enter the debate on labour reform. Shortly after her appointment as Small Business Minister she made some sensible comments about how business was put off hiring because of restrictive labour legislation. After Cosatu took her out at the knees, she has not ventured into that territory again.

2.      Related to this, she should support Herman Mashaba’s bid to have the Constitutional Court reform Section 32 of the Labour Relations Act which mandates the Minister of Labour to extend agreements concluded by sector bargaining councils to non-parties to these agreements.

3.      Advocate tax and regulatory reforms to allow small  businesses to focus on growth rather than grapple with burdensome and punitive red tape and disincentives.