Alex Shutdown Committee accuses Johannesburg mayor of populist politics
ALEXANDRA – In a statement released on 3 June, the committee lashed out at the mayor, accusing him of ignoring the court order.
The Alex Shutdown Committee has accused Mayor Herman Mashaba of promoting lawlessness and the building of illegal structures in Alexandra.
This was after Mashaba announced during his meeting with the residents of Maponyane Village that the City will help them rebuild their houses that were illegally demolished by the private security company Red Ants on 31 May.
He promised the residents that the MMC for Housing will send a team from housing emergency services to look at the structures, so that within two weeks they can start building houses.
In its statement released on 3 June, the committee lashed out at the mayor, accusing him of ignoring the court order.
“We note with regret that mayor Mashaba has once again treated the community of Alexandra with the same disdain as he did during the total shutdown protest in April. He practically chooses to go against a court interdict by settling an illegal settlement. He chooses to go to Marlboro where people are now being rewarded for doing wrong things.
“The mayor is subverting the basic human rights of the illegal occupiers, leaving them on an unsafe ground. He has ignored the rights of law abiding citizens who are waiting for services. It is clear that he wants to appease his political alliance within the city administration by doing wrong things.”
The Shutdown Committee said it will convene a mass meeting with the residents of Alexandra to discuss recent events of poor service delivery.
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