It hasn’t been smooth sailing at the City of Johannesburg’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP) public meetings with political parties clashing – sometimes violently.
Many of the approximately 30 public meetings held before the regional summits either ended with disruptions or violence.
At a Midrand regional summit meeting recently, some politicians even landed in the hospital after bloody clashes.
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The Democratic Alliance (DA) Mayor Herman Mashaba blamed the African National Congress (ANC) for the chaos and said he would lay criminal charges against the party.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) agreed that it was the ANC that incited the violence.
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But Jolidee Mationgo, ANC Joburg spokesperson, denied this and blamed the DA and EFF, clad in party regalia, for the disruption. He said ANC PR councillor Matshidiso Mfikoe had to be taken to the hospital.
Meanwhile, residents are trying to get their voices heard during the regional summit. The IDP contains the City’s five-year plan with a heavy focus on the needs of residents, hence the extensive public participation process.
The ANC said that it called upon all its members to attend the IDP sessions in large numbers ‘to contribute positively to shaping the future of our City.’
EFF Joburg spokesperson, Khethokuhle Mabona, said the party simply wants residents to attend the meetings, emphasising their importance.
“Meetings collapsed by the ANC has become a genuine trend and it became a problem for us to attend,” he said.”We tried to get as many people to the meetings as possible, but it was marked by violence.”
Mabona said the party will not comment on their view of the IDP yet but will do so on 25 May, when the IDP and R55.9 billion budget will be tabled for approval in council.
Mabona did, however, say he is concerned about the fact that there is still a big focus on projects and policies in the affluent areas.
“But we will see what the IDP really means for the poor black man.”
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