MMC Lemao leads #CrimeMustFall march

25 April 2016

 

City of Johannesburg’s Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Safety, Councillor Sello Lemao, led a march against crime in Lenasia, Region G, on Saturday April 23.

 

The march, which started at the Signet Terrace Shopping Centre, also featured Gauteng MEC for Transport Ismail Vadi, Regional Director Mickey Padiachee, Cllr Zarina Motala, Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar and several JMPD and Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) officials.

Learners also took part in the march, which sought to raise awareness of crime and engage and educate the community about public safety. Also among the marchers was veteran musician William “Mr Everything” Mthethwa. The march was jointly organised by the City and #CrimeInLenzMustFall movement and supported by members of Charity Riders in their powerful motorbikes, various ministries and churches, a local action group and non-governmental organisations.

The participants – chanting slogans such as “#CrimeMustFall” and carrying placards reading ”No to Crime”, “No To Killing of Our Officers”, “No to Child Abuse” and “No To Drug and Alcohol Abuse” – marched through streets such as Honeysucker, Anemone, Koedoe, Camelia and Gemsbok in Lenasia extensions 1, 2 and 5 and back to the Signet Shopping Centre to highlight crime in the area.

The aim of the march was to raise awareness of crime among the community and to inspire them to take ownership of their neighbourhood.

MMC Lemao called on the community to make their voices heard and said they must report crime to make Lenasia crime-free. He said the City fully supported the #CrimeInLenzMustFall movement and the community because this was part of the City’s 10-Plus Plan to combat crime spearheaded by Executive Mayor Cllr Parks Tau. The plan is aimed at forging relations with the community in fighting crime.

The MMC said it was important to work with the community because its members knew the crime hotspots and the perpetrators of crime.

“We need to forge social cohesion to fight crime and drug abuse. We’re here as the City to find out where we can help. This must be a social movement that starts here but must not end here. We must move and work together and show the criminals that they can run but they cannot hide,” he said.

MEC Vadi asked the community to be a buffer between crime and criminals.

“The government is here to join you in your fight against crime. Crime in Lenasia must fall and you must say no to crime. This must be the people’s campaign and you must get involved in it,” he said.