Tensions high at Ten Plus programme launch
Not all officials were impressed as the City of Johannesburg hosted it's multi-disciplinary programme to interact with residents.
Right: Mayor Parks Tau, Councillor Dyobo, Region B Regional Director Vucky Schuping and Region F Regional Director Irene Mafune.
SUIDEROORD – The atmosphere was tense at the Ten Plus multi-disciplinary programme meeting hosted by the City of Johannesburg in Suideroord on February 15.
The event was held on the open land on the corner of Columbine Avenue and Potgieter Street opposite McDonalds, at the same spot where an illegal taxi rank has reportedly started.
Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau was joined by a panel of representatives from Emergency Services (EMS), Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) and Ward Councillors from various wards in the South to discuss the progress of the programme, which has been piloted in a few wards towards combatting crime and grime in communities.
The City allocated ten officers per ward as well as teams from Urban Management, Emergency Services, Social Development and Environmental Health practitioners to work directly with communities in a coordinated manner.
Aims and objectives of the launch were to afford residents and councillors the opportunity and platform to not only interact with decision makers but also to put forward their queries on issues affecting them which need urgent attention and to make suggestions on a way forward.
However, not all attendees were happy with the meeting. Democratic Alliance (DA) Ward 54 Councillor, Sergio dos Santos discovered that there was no invite waiting for him in the mail.
An invitation had been sent out to local community organisations and local government departments to attend “The Ward 54 Launch of the Ten Plus Programme of the City of Johannesburg”, although this invite did not reach Dos Santos.
“I am shocked to discover that such an invitation and activity is taking place without my involvement or participation as the duly democratically elected councillor in that ward,” Dos Santos said. “The invitation has been sent to ‘integral stakeholders’ yet I received no such invitation.”
Dos Santos said that already cracks were showing in this programme and appear to be ignored by the Mayor and his administration in an attempt to use this as an electioneering tool for the Elections.
When the floor was opened to attendees for questions to the panel, one of the first questions was whether the meeting was being held because of the upcoming elections, but this question was quickly brushed off by an official who said that “It’s wrong that we have a perception that when government has a meeting with people then it’s thought to be because it’s election time.”
The JMPD representative assured a resident that the random searches done by JMPD officers bear a lot of fruit as a lot is discovered.
Information on what communities could do to deal with or prevent fires is free, assured the EMS. “Our aim is to prevent not respond.” The number residents can call to get more information is 011 758 5000.
In terms of turnaround time, Region B Regional Director Vicky Schuping said: “There is time acceptable for service delivery, some issues are responded to on time like burst pipes and leaking sewerage, but they’re attempting to resolve big issues like cable theft and are trying by all means to ensure compliance by officials.”
In closing, Mayor Parks Tau said that a suggestion made by an attendee to have points men on Xavier Street is “something necessary to pursue”. Also responding to a question about the increasing number of potholes on streets in the South, he stated that R100 million would be allocated to fixing damaged roads and that the budget had been stretched by the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) to ensure that basic services are received by all.
