Brenda Dammie says no one should do as they please in Ward 29
The meeting which was held at the Noordgesis Community Hall became intense when the issue of foreign national businesses was raised.
Ward 29 councilor, Brenda Dammie had on Friday, June 11 called an urgent meeting for leaders, business owners, and the Ward 29 residents to discuss several concerning issues in the ward.
The meeting which was held at the Noordgesis Community Hall became intense when the issue of foreign national businesses was raised.
According to Dammie, the Noordgesig community had requested that they no longer want any more foreign nationals’ shops in the area, however, she said that some are still building shops even after they were requested not to. The foreign national business owners were also part of the meeting and Dammie opened the discussion with a warm welcome for them but also reprimanded them for only attending community meetings only when their businesses are affected.
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“You are part of this community, we are expecting you to be involved in all community issues, it concerns me that you don’t attend community meetings unless your businesses will be affected, it is not fair. This community says they don’t want any more foreign shops and it has come to my attention that some are still building shops even after the JMPD’s intervention” Dammie said.
“People cannot do as they please as if there is no ward councilor, I will not allow that. The worse part is that these shops are being built on top of pipes,” she added.
On June 16, there will be another version of the Soweto Uprising, Operation Dudula, a movement that is meant to end crime in the community, they will be closing all illegal occupation of business stalls, illegal scrapyards, all drug dealers, and on the poster, there’s where it’s written ‘No foreigners in our business space’ we are hoping that this is not some form of Xenophobic attacks, however, Dammie said that they will be closing those that are trading illegally and are doing illegal business such as selling drugs.
“I came to warn you, if you know you are trading illegally or have a tenant that’s trading illegally, selling drugs, and known to be abusing our children, Operation Dudula is coming for you.
“Those who have unlicensed firearms, be warned because I received a voice note, where another business owner said she was threatened with a gun, that must come to an end,” said Dammie.
The foreign nationals are being accused of several criminal activities but one resident who has a foreign national business owner as a tenant stood up and spoke on behalf of his tenant saying he is a good person and that the money he pays for rent is the only income they depend on as a family, but Dammie says by-laws are by-laws, they want a crime-free Soweto and that traders must provide proper documents for trading.
Operation Dudula’s meeting point is the Diepkloof Hall at 8:00.
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