BNC#8: Herman Mashaba on South Africa’s collapse - “Fix Johannesburg or lose everything!”

Speaking at BNC#8 in Hermanus, Herman Mashaba delivered a hard-hitting critique of South Africa’s collapsing governance, rising corruption, and eroding personal freedoms. From failing municipalities to unchecked crime, he argues the rule of law is under siege. Outlining bold reforms and his “Operation Fix Johannesburg,” Mashaba positions decisive leadership, accountability, and enforcement as the only path to restoring order, rebuilding cities, and unlocking economic growth..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox every morning on weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa's bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..Watch here.Listen here.Edited transcript of the keynote speech.Alec Hogg (00:08:24 - 00:37:30)So if you're from Johannesburg. This is the other side of the story. Herman Mashaba was the very first keynote speaker at the very first BizNews conference. So Nick was at that conference and he, as I mentioned earlier, had this sensational, spectacular covered speech that YouTube really didn't like. And after it, it went it really went crazy.Alec Hogg (00:37:31 - 01:08:20)I'm joking. Half a million people who watched the video. We couldn't believe it. We had this little YouTube channel and suddenly the whole world was watching Nick. But at that event, the very first speaker was Herman Mashaba, who at the time hadn't even didn't even have a political party. So he's here today as part of the NDB Liberty Indaba, the attack on personal freedoms.Alec Hogg (01:08:24 - 01:30:18)I'm sure Herman is going to talk about Joburg, but you should also remember that this man is a past president of the Free Market Foundation. So, you know, and also an entrepreneur, a billionaire entrepreneur who built a business during the most difficult time for someone who happened to have a million and overlook. Herman Mashaba.Herman Mashaba (01:41:38 - 02:24:44)Thank you. Alec, and good afternoon to everyone. Thank you for BizNews family, for the opportunity to speak about an important issue facing not only South Africa, the attack on South Africa's personal liberties. For many, the phrase personal liberty may sound somewhat abstract, but in our country today, it is painfully practical. The reality is that our liberty is taken away when criminals operate with impunity, while government is either unwilling or incapable of protecting law abiding citizens.Herman Mashaba (02:24:48 - 03:01:22)A corrupt government diverts public resources meant to serve the people into networks of patronage and self-enrichment. Illicit markets are allowed to thrive while law abiding enterprises confront excessive red tape and growth killing policies. Municipalities collapsing under the weight of mismanagement, leaving communities without the most basic of services. But ultimately, when the rule of law collapses, personal liberty is one of the first casualties.Herman Mashaba (03:01:23 - 03:36:30)Unfortunately, the real crisis across many parts of our country, criminal syndicates have captured law enforcement, government departments, even municipalities and state owned entities. Critical infrastructure is vandalised, stripped and stolen, while funds meant to maintain and expose expanded splendid are looted. Businesses are forced to operate in an environment that is simply intolerable. Communities are abandoned as violent crime spreads.Herman Mashaba (03:36:34 - 04:05:03)Illegal undocumented foreigners operate with near-total disregard for the laws, while the government turns a blind eye. That is the reality of the steady collapse of the state's willingness and ability to uphold the rule of law. And when that happens, it is ordinary South Africans who ultimately paid the price action as they approach their company. They call it the political party.Herman Mashaba (04:05:03 - 04:51:23)I represent has always been clear about one thing South Africa does not lack plans. South Africa lacks political will. For far too long, politicians only talk about fixing problems they created without actually doing anything about it. That is why from day one, NASA launched, we made it clear that our mission to fix South Africa to take a different approach, one where we act and demonstrate our weak proof in signing just to illustrate something the best evidence of action that says blueprint is the way currently being done by action is they don't NAACP more in the city of tiny, our capital city.Herman Mashaba (04:51:27 - 05:20:35)In a short period of time, Mayor Moya has begun restoring the basic principles that should govern every municipality in this country. Now, the more you launch of the Reclaim Our City initiative, working with salt with subs TMP and Home Affairs, this initiative has tackled criminal operations, illegal connections and illegal foreigners in just one year. This administration has conducted over 400 by law enforcement operations.Herman Mashaba (05:20:39 - 05:49:36)Doctor Mueller became the first mayor in ten years to initiate the recruitment drive in the TMB team, with 200 officers being added to the ranks. She also increased the budget for law enforcement by hundreds of millions of rands, more than just those before her. The total budget for frontline safety, safety services has been increased from 4.5 billion rands to currently 5.3 billion rands.Herman Mashaba (05:49:40 - 06:21:17)Over 60 officials have been fired for misconduct and six seven to officials have been referred to the Financial Disciplinary Board for financial misconduct. 14.4 billion rands in unauthorised and irregular expenditure has been investigated for the first time in years. The city of China has passed a fully funded budget confirmed by National Treasury. The city's historic debt to Eskom has been decreased by over 2 billion rand in just over a year.Herman Mashaba (06:21:21 - 06:57:07)The historic municipal municipal workers wage dispute has been resolved. Internal capacity has been increased and the minutes in municipal fleet being renewed in one financial quarter. So I created more jobs than Cape Town, Johannesburg and equivalent combined. 86 billion rands has been placed in investment as part of the city's investment summit, and pilot project to extend operating hours across China has been tried, and olivine holds both clinic 14.4 billion rands in all.Herman Mashaba (06:57:07 - 07:36:45)Of unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure has been investigated. Over 220km of roads have been resurfaced, over 3300 title deeds have been handed over to deserving residents through China. Ultimo program Chinese dental book has been decreased. Areas of noncompliance in the auditing process have decreased from 13 to current 60. Confirmed by Auditor-General. Lessons from 20. What is happening in China shows that the crisis you know, I municipality is not irreversible.Herman Mashaba (07:36:49 - 08:07:10)By turning municipalities around requires three things one. Leaders must be prepared to always enforce the law. Two. Municipalities must function according to clear rules and accountability. Three. The law cannot be applied selectively. This principles of the Call of action is a blueprint for municipal governance. The reality in Johannesburg in no way is the collapse of governance clearer than in the City of Johannesburg.Herman Mashaba (08:07:11 - 08:40:49)That is why, in announcing my candidacy for Johannesburg, I launch a project called Operation Fix Johannesburg. Johannesburg is the economic heart of our country's South Africa, but today it faces infrastructure and service delivery collapse, lawlessness, hijacked buildings, etc.. The city once drove this. The South African economy has been allowed to deteriorate into chaos. Operations fix Johannesburg is built on simple principle.Herman Mashaba (08:41:00 - 09:19:18)This requires decisive intervention to end the lawlessness and corruption destroying Johannesburg. A properly resourced anti-corruption capability will be reinstated. Lifestyle audits will be mandatory for senior officials and political office bearers. Corrupt, corrupt, corrupt contractors will be blacklisted. Major tenders and contracts will be published for public scrutiny. Effective and managed municipal courts will be reinstated. The MPD will be strengthened with 2500 additional officers recruited over the next five years.Herman Mashaba (09:19:23 - 09:59:10)That is, 500 officers each who properly trained and deployed where they are needed most. Restarting the inner city rejuvenation by reclaiming hijacked buildings and leading the most aggressive inner city clean up operation. Without these steps, economic recovery becomes impossible. Businesses cannot invest where the law is absent. Residents cannot thrive where disorder dominates our work in Parliament. Just to share something with you, I'm most proud of the fact that while the fight to reverse the malfeasance at the centre of the collapse of our municipalities continues.Herman Mashaba (09:59:14 - 10:28:27)Our members of Parliament are truly punching above their weight and using every available mechanism to pursue reform within the national sphere. Since 2024, excellency has to name only a few, spearheaded the following. The Enhanced Cut Cabinet Pegs Bill, aimed at putting an end to the unchecked waste of billions of rands on luxury travel. VIP protection and other excessive picks.Herman Mashaba (10:28:31 - 10:54:38)A constitutional amendment to eliminate the role of deputy ministers. The Fallen Whistleblowers Bill, which honours the brave South Africans who paid the ultimate price for telling the truth. It is in the name of memory of whistleblowers, such as by beat up their corrupt and others who admitted for exposing corruption, while the state failed to protect them and Parliament failed to act.Herman Mashaba (10:54:42 - 11:30:12)This zero tolerance anti-corruption bill to be introduced tomorrow. In fact, I'm having a press conference tomorrow to share with South Africans about this piece of legislation that you are bringing. This bill will end the culture of consequences free looting by imposing aggressive and harsher sentences and penalties for corruption, strengthened blacklisting measures to prevent corrupt individuals and companies from recycling themselves through the stage by streamlining and tightening blacklisting rules and enforcement.Herman Mashaba (11:30:16 - 11:59:38)Reform of the National Prosecuting Authority, which will fundamentally reform the NPA to eliminate political interference and ensure swift, independent prosecutions without fear or favour restoring liberties through the rule of law. At its core. This conversation is about freedom through liberty. It's not only about rights written in the Constitution. It is about whether the state protects those rights in everyday life.Herman Mashaba (11:59:42 - 12:39:09)Do people feel safe? Do businesses operate in an enabling environment, one that obstructs their growth? Do municipalities provide the services citizens pay for action? Is offer action is on offer is straightforward. In is best represented through the kind of leadership already been demonstrated in many and through our Members of Parliament, through this kind of decisive interventions outlined in Operation Fix Jaw, Johannesburg, and through our belief that South Africans deserve municipalities that work, that we have the depth of leadership from Athol Trollip to NAACP.Herman Mashaba (12:39:13 - 13:12:28)Moya, who can get the job done. Let me also to take this opportunity to respond. I look to some of, the allegations, against me the last two days. Let me start first with Rob. I don't know if he's still around rope saying that. I've lost the plot. I think rope, thank you for the compliment to to be criticised by Rob, but for me, it's the biggest compliment I've received in many years.Herman Mashaba (13:12:28 - 13:34:31)And the reason why I'm saying it's a compliment because obviously Rob doesn't like me because I expose these lies coming out claiming in public platform that is a big, funder of action, they say. I'm still waiting for you to give me proof of data, because I checked with our finance people and I actually even ask, you must rob.Herman Mashaba (13:34:31 - 14:08:06)Perhaps, someone gave you a wrong account number because you are on public platform that you are a big supporter or a big donor of fiction is a and and and waiting for that. So I think for me, honestly, for to be undermined by someone like you all underestimating me. It's a big compliment. Yesterday, obviously, I came in in the afternoon and I believe, Madam Helen Zille made some interesting, observation about me calling me.Herman Mashaba (14:08:06 - 14:32:32)And if me that I was captured by the. If you can imagine heaven myself by being captured by the. If I'm on record in books everywhere in the three years as a mayor of the city of Johannesburg, first me and this country to fire three day, Mkhize and in each case they did, refusing to come to me to fire them.Herman Mashaba (14:32:32 - 15:22:28)And I said to them, this has nothing to do with the party. This is pure corruption. Unless you are seeing this corruption with the evidence, is not true today, fired. And in three occasions, including the DA, who every day accuses the ANC for keeping corrupt people because I had no right to fire them as councilors, they kept them in council and expect expecting me to to work with them in the three years that I've worked with the, with the EFF or I was the mayor, not a single time that the EFF has ever approached me about corruption or tender or anything to do with the corruption.Herman Mashaba (15:22:32 - 15:55:07)I'm on record in that, but I can say the same about the party was representing. I'm sure you've read the senior member of the party came to my house and requested introduction to state resources, and I reject it, and it's in writing on that. And what I find it actually quite interesting is that if you say Herman Mashaba was corrupt during his tenure as a mayor, why then didn't you handle the matter at that time of corruption?Herman Mashaba (15:55:16 - 16:28:28)Why after I leave, they knew one to accuse me of corruption. Because one way new deal with Herman Mashaba question of corruption. I don't care whether the party wanted me to fire those people or not. I fired them for corruption. Off I went and got people arrested. Over 900 in the city of Johannesburg, they do 5 billion rounds of fraud and corruption involving some of the senior members of the ANC are today not only in Parliament and in cabinet sitting and being supported by the DA.Herman Mashaba (16:28:28 - 16:52:03)And they know these people very well. They serve with them. Now, if ever Herman Mashaba was corrupt, why didn't you then raise his corruption at the time that you came across? Do you then say you're saying to civil society and South Africans that for as long as you're in the DA, we will cover you? Herman? Myself, I will never cover for anyone.Herman Mashaba (16:52:07 - 17:17:10)I don't want anyone to cover me for corruption. I don't , one because I can, I assure you, I will never cover anyone for corruption or any malfeasance. That is really my my my my nature, you know? So the city of Johannesburg today is where it is because of Helen Zelle's, actions. And because I can tell you, not even in the next life, she will become a mayor of the City of Johannesburg.Herman Mashaba (17:17:10 - 17:46:48)Why? Why? I'm saying so because she collapsed two governments with support. Government that are in with their mandate. I leave, you leave? I left my business because I thought they were an alternative. I refused to provide services. I now accused me of being a naive mayor because I was providing portable toilets to poor communities. They said I don't cut grass in central where I live, which was a deep inside insult.Herman Mashaba (17:47:02 - 18:13:02)To me, I take it real quite personal when I'm being accused of being if mayor for providing people where ANC failed for 15 years, put people in squatter games called informal settlements, give them portable toilets, and the party I was representing at that time refusing to, to to to do that. And now Helen approaches people in the ANC.Herman Mashaba (18:13:02 - 18:37:30)I was pursuing the 35 billion range of corruption because she knew I was determined, despite the fact that the NPA was refusing to prosecute. I was looking at options to go, to go to God, get across to them, approach them, saying ANC, come out with a motion of no confidence will get majority of the councilors to remove Mashaba.Herman Mashaba (18:37:34 - 19:03:06)Unfortunately for her, she didn't know I wasn't born yesterday. I got to know about the secret meetings and they didn't believe me when I said if this woman comes back into the DA when she made herself available, I said I would not want to be associated with that. 21st 20th of October 2019, when she was elected as chairperson of the Federal Council.Herman Mashaba (19:03:16 - 19:31:49)I said, Herman, you don't associate with such characters. So the following day I resigned two years ahead of of of my time. And now you ask yourself, why are you so obsessed with the with the with the with the ANC protecting them to this level? And I can now fast forward to 2021. Actually, let's say today, as I'm talking to you, we have got 44 councilors in the city of Johannesburg.Herman Mashaba (19:32:03 - 20:10:00)We've got 16% of of council only after a year in 2016, when I was the mayor and she had 124 councilors today, you know how many they've got? 90. You know who do that? In 2016, when I was the mayor, we were 104 of us councilors. You know how many councilors they have today? 70. They do 2% drop now, a new one telling me that they can actually be the mayor.Herman Mashaba (20:10:04 - 20:31:35)Where you need 100 and 186 councilors to be able to govern on your own, because Helen won't work with anyone except the ANC. And I can tell you the bad news. The ANC of holding is not the ANC of said. And I'm a person that is captured the ANC of how they will not work with with Helen Zille.Herman Mashaba (20:31:47 - 20:54:22)So bad news for him. So if she's not prepared to work with us, work with the Freedom Front Plus she's got something coming for her because it's getting anywhere close to even half of the 135. She must actually celebrate that. She did very well. So I think I just thought that, raised these issues because they've come to my attention.Herman Mashaba (20:54:33 - 21:13:37)And fortunate enough, I was born when there's a threat coming, I don't know, waited to kill me. I'll go and kill it first. Thank you very much, Alec. And, thank you to everyone for actually giving me this opportunity. It's always a pleasure being here at business to really get this opportunity. Thank you very much.

BNC#8: Herman Mashaba on South Africa’s collapse - “Fix Johannesburg or lose everything!”

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