City of Johannesburg councillors discuss a way forward after #AlexShutDown protests
JOHANNESBURG – The council called on Alex residents to attend the community meeting on 15 April.
City of Johannesburg councillors, Executive Mayor Herman Masahaba and the Speaker of the Council Vasco Da Gama discussed a way forward regarding the Alex shutdown.
Mashaba addressed the councillors saying politics should be put aside so that they could work together to benefit the Alexandra community.
The Executive Mayor Cllr @HermanMashaba and the Speaker of Council Cllr @CoJSpeaker meets CoJ Cllrs to discuss a way forward regarding concerns of the #AlexTotalShoutDown pic.twitter.com/VvqK1EKsqL
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) April 12, 2019
Alexandra residents embarked on a total shutdown on 3 April by blocking roads, burning tyres and marching to the City’s Sandton Region E offices to express their grievances on service delivery.
President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the Alex community on 11 April after organisers of the protests had called on leaders to address them. The president said he has tasked four ministers of his cabinet and provincial government to meet with leaders of the protest to find solutions. The mayor said he would only meet with residents on 15 April.
On Monday the Executive Mayor will meet residents of Alex as part of the #JoburgIDP19. The meeting will make commitments within budget to address the #AlexTotalShoutDown concerns #Mashaba pic.twitter.com/JibaVTCaK2
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) April 12, 2019
#Mashaba it’s important we as leaders put party politics aside and work together to address the concerns, griviences of the residents of Alex #AlexTotalShoutDown ^TK
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) April 12, 2019
During the sitting, councillors discussed what would be addressed in the township such as the electrification of 686 stands in informal settlements, extending the operating hours of Alexandra library, the opening of two new clinics in River Park and a third on 4th Avenue in the coming weeks.
Among the other projects which the City hopes will be approved in the next Integrated Development Plan (IDP) meeting is the injection of R60 million over the next three years to complete the Banaekelen Hospice and Clinic, and the installation of 100 streetlights in Alexandra.
Here are some of the projects within Alex that the City will be engaging with residents on. These projects are within proposed budget and will be implemented if budget is adopted #Mashaba #AlexTotalShoutDown pic.twitter.com/5osZWA2GYE
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) April 12, 2019
The council heard that the City’s housing budget stood at R200 million. The MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in Gauteng, Uhuru Moiloa wanted to half the budget to R100 million, however, through legal action the budget remained at R200 million.
The City’s housing budget is as little as just over 200m which is half of what the previous gov had. The MEC of Cogta wanted to reduce this budget further by 100m. Through the courts we managed to keep the budget at about 200m. #Mashaba #AlexTotalShoutDown
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) April 12, 2019
The council called on Alex residents to attend the community meeting in their numbers so all issues could be addressed.
Comments : Shacks have been mushrooming in Alex for years. The community of Alex has been advised to not attend CoJ public #JoburgIDP meetings in Alex. #AlexTotalShoutDown is mobilized by opposition party pic.twitter.com/ehXn54FPuz
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) April 12, 2019
