THE INTERVIEW : DA Tshwane candidate Cilliers Brink defends ‘quick fix’ privatisation plans

Cilliers Brink promises a bigger role for private companies in Tshwane while arguing that stronger governance is essential to addressing the city’s deep inequality and service-delivery failures.

This week, the Democratic Alliance (DA) launched its “ Working For All ” tour in Tshwane, with former mayor Cilliers Brink returning as its mayoral candidate for the 4 November local government elections. The party has framed his candidacy as a comeback, with Brink promising to “finish what we started” if given “five years and 50%” – an outright majority to govern.

Firing corrupt officials and tenderpreneurs, and creating an “anti-corruption hit squad”;

Expanding crime-fighting technology including CCTV, drones and control rooms; and

Bringing greater private-sector involvement into water, electricity, roads and public lighting through public-private partnerships and private management.

The DA is proposing greater private-sector involvement in municipal infrastructure and assets, including through public-private partnerships (PPPs) and private management contracts.

“Government continues to own everything, or most things. In terms of water, electricity, waste collection, the government owns the assets. It sets the tariffs, the price you pay for the service, and it determines the policy and the performance,” Brink told Daily Maverick.

“Private partnerships have to happen within that political framework.”

He said some services could instead be managed by private companies on a performance basis, pointing to water losses as an example.

“There will be projects that we do as formal PPPs. But I think in many instances you can fix things really quickly by appointing private management agents,” he said.

Brink argued that performance-based contracts could also reduce opportunities for corruption in municipal procurement.

“Rather spend your time appointing a good, credible management agent that you then compensate based on their performance… The municipality remains in charge of the policy and the price.”

His proposals include bringing private investment and expertise into municipal assets such as Wonderboom Airport, the fresh produce market and Bon Accord Quarry, as well as using private-sector partnerships to improve water, electricity, roads and public lighting.

He rejects the argument that greater private-sector involvement would come at the expense of poorer residents.