The African National Congress (ANC) was planning a socio-economic transformation march on 30 October in Randburg CBD.
Ward 102 ANC and South African National Civic Association (Sanco) are expected to lead the march from Bram Fischer Drive and June Avenue at 9am.
It is expected that there would be a temporary closure of various roads leading to the CBD – Bram Fischer /Bond; Bram Fischer /Jan Smuts; Bram Fischer / Republic and Hill Street /Kent.
They will then march to the CBD and hand over a memorandum to Randburg Management District, various business owners and subsequently to MultiChoice.
Ward 102 branch secretary Richard Ntjana indicated that City of Joburg Executive Mayor Mpho Parks Tau, Randburg SAPS acting station commander, Department of Trade and Industry, South African Property Owner’s Association, Business Unity South Africa and South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry were expected to send their representatives who will then receive the memorandum.
He explained that they identified most of the crime hotspots in the Randburg CBD mainly caused by the lack of transformation and uneven distribution of wealth.
According to Ntjana, Randburg is the leader of call-centre businesses and many young black people were paid peanuts and there was escalation of high rental charges in accommodation.
“There is unfair distribution of wealth in the area. The economy is divided into blacks who are poor and white people who are rich and we want that to change,” he explained.
He further explained that there are projects that were identified by Joburg Development Agency to revitalise Randburg. “The problem is that small businesses in the area are not prioritised when these projects become available,” he said.
Sanco secretary Diens Maila concluded that the community took a resolution to call for the total shutdown and possible boycott of businesses, shopping and labour on the day.
Tina White from Randburg Management District said she was aware of the march and had alerted all the businesses in the area to beware.
JMPD spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar explained that it was just going to be a picket by the ANC Ward 102 Branch. “The only roads that will be affected by the picketing are just Bram Fischer Drive and Jan Smuts Avenue,” he said.
He concluded that the picket was expected to start from 9am until 1pm. “Officers will be on duty to monitor the situation,” Chief Supt Minnaar concluded.
UPDATE:
According to Tina White there would be no interruptions to businesses and people would be free to walk along Hill Street and the rest of Randburg.
RANDBURG CBD – JMPD insisted that roads in the Randburg CBD would not be closed on 30 October.
According to JMPD spokesperson Chief superintendent Wayne Minnaar the ANC Ward 102 members were only going to be gathering at the Corner of Hill Street and Bram Fischer Drive.
White indicated that they received information from the JMPD that it was going to be a gathering by the ANC Ward 102 branch starting from 9am until 1pm.
She indicated that there would hand over the memorandum to the Executive Mayor Parks Tau concerning housing issues.
“A 1,000 people are expected – who will arrive in buses or will be walking. They will depart in the buses or will be walking. There will be 100 Marshals in yellow T shirts in attendance,” she said in a statement.
She further explained that SAPS and JMPD confirmed they would attend and that businesses would not be interrupted, roads would not be closed and there would be no intimidation to anyone and people would be free to walk along Hill Street and the rest of Randburg CBD.
However, Ward 102 ANC branch secretary Richard Letsiri said they were expecting 5000 people to attend. “We invited all those people to come and receive our memorandums to the centre,” he concluded.
Details: ANC Ward 102, 083 366 3270; Randburg District Management, 011 340 3245; JMPD 011 758 9100.
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