MMC urges Eldorado Park residents to red-card crime

21 April 2016

 

The City of Johannesburg has called on residents to participate in crime prevention forums and report all criminal activities - including corruption - to the South African Police Service.

 

Addressing an Integrated Development Planning (IDP) meeting at the Don Mateman Hall in Eldorado Park in Region G earlier this week, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Corporate and Shared Services Councillor Mally Mokoena said the City was committed to making Johannesburg safe for all. She said it was pulling out all stops to bring the high rate of crime down.

MMC Mokoena urged the community to report all forms of crime and corruption through crime hotlines and through the Office of the Ombudsman to help the City reduce the scourge.

“You must not allow yourself to be part of crime and corruption. You must report the perpetrators of crime and those who condone it, including City officials. You must be part of the community policing forum," she said

The draft IDP has been presented to Johannesburg residents for their comments and inputs over the past three weeks. These community engagement sessions will culminate in an IDP Stakeholder Summit on Saturday April 30. MMC Mokoena said the City of Johannesburg had reduced the mortality rate by 20%. 
She pleaded with residents to support youth who abused drugs, saying the City was not oblivious to the plight of unemployed young people.

“Through programmes like Vulindlel’eJozi, the City has helped many students and young people to acquire skills and find employment. By providing the youth with education and helping them to acquire the necessary skills, we are certain of breaking the cycle of poverty," she said.

She added that the City had created 150 000 community work opportunities, 200 000 jobs and attracted a R4-billion investment into the city. In his overview, Regional Director Mickey Padiachee said economic growth was a top priority in the region. Padiachee asked the community to engage the City to take charge of their own development. He said cable and electricity theft was costing the region millions of rands that could have been used to develop the area. He said the region had established farmers' forum in October 2015, an industrial forum and an interim interfaith forum.

Residents, however, expressed concerns about what they called "a lack of development in the area". Paul Mohlabedi of Ward 17 called for the demolition of old houses in Kliptown as they were no longer habitable.

Residents also complained about the lack of housing, skills training, police visibility, recreational facilities, drug rehabilitation centres, unsustainability of Jozi@Work and nepotism in the awarding of tenders.