Greater Alex residents protest along Grayston Drive

Disgruntled residents of Alexander peacefully made their way through Kew, and along Grayston Drive, to hand over a memorandum calling for an investigation into the management of Region E.

The Greater Alexandra block-by-block clean-up collective of volunteers made their way to the City of Joburg’s Region E head offices in Daisy Street, Sandton, on July 4, where they gathered outside the B2 administrative building on the block.

The protesters levelled various allegations of nepotism and corruption against the administration of Region E, and called for a comprehensive review of all contracts made under top management’s supervision. The group also called for an examination of Region E’s financial transactions relating to projects and programmes; as well as a review of the top management’s financial records. Protesters handed over their memorandum, which requested that the investigation be conducted transparently, promptly, and without bias.

Deputy director Gideon Cruywagen received the memorandum on behalf of the Region E director, who was on leave. He expressed apprehension about being mentioned, as he had only come to accept the community’s demands on behalf of another.

Chairperson of the Greater Alexandra block-by-block clean-up initiative Dumisani Nkosi, likening the conditions impacting Alexandra to state capture, said that the protesters had come to Daisy Street to hand over a memorandum which states that the community had compiled a petition with 3000 signatures calling for things to change.

“The Region is trying its best to provide the community with projects, but the problem is that our councillors own these projects,” Nkosi said. “They work according to nepotism, and they cannot deliver to the public. I can’t just mention one councillor, because we’re representing all of the communities of Alexandra. We’ll know from their feedback whether they listen to the community which they govern over.”

Nkosi expressed that various stakeholder had been represented by the protest, which brought forward complaints from various people: people who clean the township block-by-block, those who clean along the Jukskei river, and people who clean in different departments.

“You can arrive at anyone of these areas, and you’ll find about 40 people cleaning, and they all earn differently – cleaning the same area: some people are earning R3 500, and others earning R1 000 and something, where some weren’t earning at all.

“Region E needs to evaluate and monitor their projects. All these things are caused by the regional director’s office – they are the ones with the go-ahead, and they get here and take their own people. The march was about asking them to investigate the regional director for corruption and nepotism.”

Nkosi added that the community had compiled a petition with 3 000 signatures calling for things to change as mentioned in the memorandum.

Adolf Marema, who is an ANC regional whip in Region E, was contacted for his comment on the concerns raised by community members against his administration. He emphasised that he was not the person to ask, though complied with the enquiry out of civic duty.

Marema said on July 5, that none of the protesters had come to this office to say they’ve been promised work, or R3 500, to the best of his knowledge.

“The best person to answer all of these questions would be the regional head of administration here,” Marema said. “In as much as my knowledge is concerned; I don’t remember anyone being promised R3 500.

“I don’t think that would have been appropriate, or something that is within the boundaries of being fair, or reasonable. When people make allegations, they must bring about proof for that. They can’t just allege; there must be minutes that were taken when those promises were made.”

Marema confirmed that he was aware that the protest had taken place. He also lamented the plight of community members across Alexandra, whose lives are mostly wrought with hardship. “The reality is that our people are suffering. Our people are really in need of work, so that they can sustain their families.”

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