Safi is becoming poorer, and its councillors are getting richer

The city of Safi, cradle of nationalism and a faithful image of the plural Moroccan identity, nevertheless constitutes a reflection of the deep governance crisis shaking Moroccan elected councils. A city sacrificed by its councillors, who are always on the margins of the concerns of the Safi population, which continues to pay the price for a deliberate marginalisation.The haemorrhage of local management, devoid of the slightest benchmarks, persists with the proliferation of shanty towns and the informal sector, the illegal occupation of public property, the massacre of green spaces for the benefit of real estate speculators, and the sacrificed built heritage, among others. The dull image of the elected councils is confirmed from one decision to the next, and the quality of life continues to deteriorate.4,000 shanty towns have sprung up in six months in full view of the local and elected…