The President attended the official opening of the Chinese arch in neighbouring Cyrildene on October 11. This suburb is known to residents of Bedfordview and Edenvale for its restaurants.
Members of the Chinese community thanked the President for attending and took the opportunity to inform him of their needs and concerns.
Mr Li Xinzhu, the chairman of the All Africa Association for Peaceful Reunification of China, compiled a memorandum for the President on behalf of the Chinese community, several of whom live in Cyrildene.
He said the main challenge faced by the Chinese community is crime. According to Mr Xinzhu, the Chinese community is a soft target for criminals because of their involvement in business.
“Robberies happen on a daily basis in Chinese shopping centre areas in Johannesburg. The shop owners in townships nationwide are also targeted by criminals, according to the records of the Chinese Community Police Forum. In 2013 so far, 10 community members have lost their lives in various cases, mainly business robbery and hijacking.
“To resolve this challenge, co-operation between the Chinese community and South African law enforcement is critical,” said Mr Xinzhu.
He said the crime situation will not improve without a strategy overseen by the national government and co-ordinated by all relevant stakeholders.
Chinese CPF
The Chinese CPF was established in 2004 to help the Chinese community.
“It was sponsored by the Chinese community and has an office in Cyrildene. Four staff members work seven days a week to provide assistance and support to the Chinese community members nationwide. The Chinese Community Police Forum has also built a strong partnership with SAPS’ provincial headquarters and regional offices. In late 2012, an SAPS satellite station was established in Cyrildene to provide efficient and convenient service to community members,” said Mr Xinzhu.
He added that the Chinese Community Police Forum heeded a call from the presidential office and partnered with the Cleveland SAPS a few months ago to launch an anti-drug awareness programme.
The Chinese community also said it needs better communication with all government departments. “The community is ready to work with all stakeholders to build a safer investment environment,” said Mr Xinzhu.
Successful business district
Also mentioned in the memorandum were the efforts by the Chinese community in Cyrildene to build a successful business district.
Mr Xinzhu said that while the community wants to address problems such as illegal building, illegal businesses, waste management and health concerns, the co-operation from the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) is lacking.
Mr Xinzhu called on the President to address the problem.
“The community is ready to work closely with council, discuss solutions and transform the district into an up-market destination for visitors. The community also understands that meriting and spreading Chinese traditional culture is critical for building a sustainable community. The Chinese arch is one of the huge efforts from the Chinese community,” said Mr Xinzhu.
The construction of the arch started in late 2011 and cost about R5-million.
“The Chinese Huawen Library was also founded in late 2011 in Cyrildene. The library is open to the public and has rapidly grown into a popular facility. The community is looking for government support to protect Chinese culture as part of the diversified heritage in South Africa.
“The community has already sponsored the construction of the arch. But high costs, including land rental from the CoJ and maintenance fees, puts the community in a difficult situation. The community is willing to include the arch into the tourism, art and culture development project of the city. In this case, government support is extremely important and the community is keen to partner with the city,” said Mr Xinzhu.
It was also mentioned in the memorandum that the Chinese community continuously contributes to the development of the South African economy and creates a large number of job opportunities through investment and practice.
Speaking about Chinese investment in Cyrildene, Mr Xinzhu said it has grown rapidly from 2002.
“The number of Chinese businesses, such as supermarkets, restaurants and hotels, has exceeded 140. China Town has become a favourite heritage sight and receives a large number of tourists,” said Mr Xinzhu.
Mr Xinzhu said the Chinese community will co-operate with government and looks forward to building a sustainable community.
