Mayor Mashaba vows to make lives of criminals uncomfortable

10 February 2017

 

Johannesburg Executive Mayor Cllr Herman Mashaba last night (Thursday February 9) told residents of Rosettenville that his office had “officially declared war on criminals”.

 

Mayor Mashaba was speaking at a packed hall at the Rosettenville Central Primary School, southeast of Johannesburg, a day after he led a joint night raid that targeted drug dens, brothels and illegally occupied houses following an outcry from local residents.

A number of people were arrested during the raid, carried out by members of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) and the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Outlining plans to make the city safer and more secure, the Mayor said Johannesburg was not a place for criminals. 
“We have embarked on a mission to make the lives of criminals very uncomfortable. Since the outcry [from the residents of Rosettenville], we realised that we have a responsibility to keep our people safe.

“But when we visited this area for the first time, we saw things that were totally unacceptable. People must never take the law into their own hands, no matter how angry they might be,” Mashaba said.

He said criminals must be brought to book but emphasised that this could not be achieved through the use of violence.

“We know and understand that people are tired of living under this reign of terror. So we are committing ourselves to ensuring your safety. We gave instructions to the Member Mayoral Committee of Public Safety, Cllr Michael Sun, to establish a special unit within JMPD to attend to the matter.

“We have also gone to the national enforcement agencies to assist us. We ask that you bear with us while we get your community in order. At the same time, we know and understand that you want action to be taken quickly. But you must understand that we need to work within the legal framework of South Africa,” the Mayor told residents.

The meeting was briefly disrupted when unruly elements in the audience chanted and heckled the Mayor. Order was restored when JMPD officers stepped in.

Mayor Mashaba said it was encouraging to see residents standing up for their communities. “This says to me that you are serious about your communities and the future of your children,” he said.

He said all illegally built properties in Rosettenville would be demolished. “These houses are harbouring under-age girls who are used as prostitutes. Some are drug dens and have been hijacked. Others operate as brothels that are run by illegal immigrants.

“These are things that will keep driving away potential investors from the economic hub of South Africa and keep our city from prospering,” Mayor Mashaba said.