I stand before you today no longer as the mayor of this great city, but as the Leader of the Official Opposition in Council.

While we are clearly disappointed that the coalition of corruption succeeded in bringing an end to the good work and resident driven committed of the multi-party coalition, we accept that we have an equally important role to play from the opposition benches. The residents of this great city deserve nothing less, and we will not give up the fight.

The multi-party coalition has spent 10 months working to undo the damage done by the ANC over the past two decades. We have managed to achieve a number of successes and have been able to bring changes for the better to the lives of many of our residents.

From the opening of a Skills Centre in Vosloorus to Early Childhood Development Centers in Palm Ridge and Katlehong, from electrifying 1 367 households which previously had no power to installing over 48 water points, from cleaning and rehabilitating 112 illegal dumping hotspots to more than 48 km of roads being rehabilitated.

From maintaining over 2 100 stormwater systems to more than 29 000 m2 of potholes patched across the city. This is just a sample of what the multi-party coalition has achieved in less than a year.

And, we have done so in a climate of hostility and a culture resistant to change.

We have done so against the backdrop of trying global and domestic economic uncertainty which has made our task that much harder to achieve.

This government has had a positive impact on the lives of those whom we were elected to serve, residents of Ekurhuleni.

Every one of the parties represented in the multi-party coalition has served diligently and carried out their responsibilities for the betterment of the resident of Ekurhuleni.

They conducted themselves with the humility befitting of elected office bearers.

I want to thank each of them for their hard work.

Residents,

I want to assure you that our job is far from done.

Those who seek power at all costs are one step closer to putting their hands back in the public purse to line their own pockets.

Now, more than ever, we remain steadfast in our resolve to ensure that residents come first.

It may be from the opposition benches, but our commitment remains unwavering.