Ntirhisano gives Pimville residents a say
09 October 2015
For years we’ve been promised an old-age home and our children are not getting RDP houses but outsiders are, and with ease,” Doris Mdlalose told Johannesburg Executive Mayor Councillor Parks Tau in Pimville, Soweto, on Thursday October 8.
Mama Zulu told Mayor Tau that she was struggling to make ends meet because she had to support her grandchildren with her old-age pension as all her children were unemployed.
“I represent the crèches’ forum in Pimville and we’ve been operating in back yards and garages for the past 20 years. Please can the government give us sites so we can build proper crèches and after-care facilities so our children, who lack recreational facilities, are taken care of? They are our future,” Mama Zulu said.
The two women were among the people who elected to speak instead of writing down their complaints during the two-day Ntirhisano Community Outreach programme in Soweto. Another resident, who identified himself as Bobby, said he was forced to shut down his business that employed seven people after being given the runaround over business premises.
“Please assist us. White people can’t have their cake and eat it. The government is arrogant when it deals with black people and business. It’s only when the children of the ruling elite attend township schools that education will improve here,” he said to applause.
Puleng Radebe asked why people over the age of 35 were excluded from accessing Vulindlel’ eJozi programme, which seeks to match candidates to work and business opportunities in the City.
“Young mothers like me need help. There should be no age restriction. I want to succeed too. I’ve been waiting for a marketing kit from the Small Enterprises Development Agency since April,” Radebe said.
Mayor Tau – who was accompanied by Gauteng Premier David Makhura, MECs, City of Johannesburg’s Members of the Mayoral Committee and councillors – promised 600 residents at the Pimville Community Hall that the City would hold an imbizo for the elderly to discuss the establishment of an old-age home and other issues that affected them.
He said a small, medium and micro enterprises hub would be established at the Soweto Empowerment Zone in Diepkloof to create a single access point for entrepreneurs. He added that mixed-use development would be under way soon in Jabulani, Kliptown and Power Park.
“The City of Johannesburg has also created a R250-million Working Capital Fund with Standard Bank to enable contractors who have been awarded work packages to complete their jobs without having to raise loans to buy material.
“Crèches, non-governmental organisations and not-for-profit organisations are not taking advantage of Grants In Aid disbursed to them,” Mayor Tau said.
The City has also set aside R200-million to formalise the electrification of informal settlements and back yard rooms to reduce illegal connections. Dedicated solar panels or a localised grid will be set up and meters connected so they can buy their own power and not piggybank on landlords.
Premier Makhura told residents that the Ntirhisano programme was not electioneering.
“The reason we are here is to talk to you directly. The Township Economy Revitalisation programme will not succeed without solving the land issue. We need to create access to land for factories in the townships.”
On Wednesday October 7 the Ntirhisano entourage visited a number of areas, including Noordgesig, just outside Soweto, where a new clinic would soon be constructed and a school built partly of asbestos demolished and rebuilt.
During the imbizo one of the residents said Noordgesig had been allocated two police vans to patrol the area. However, only one was functioning as the other was always in for repairs. Another resident said: “We want timeframes, not empty promises. We know that when you leave, everything goes back to square one.”
Premier Makhura had earlier said his administration was a government for all people.
“We must work for all of you, not on paper but in practice. Some of you feel that you are not part of this government, that in the past you were not white enough and now you are not black enough. This is your government.”
Mayor Tau told the residents that there was no truth in the view that one had to be in possession of an ANC membership card for one to access opportunities and services. He said the City was not building houses based on racial profiles.
“There’s no black or kleurling (coloured) township. The City is building integrated communities and making sure people are closer to work and economic, social and entertainment opportunities,” he said.
He said the nearby Pennyville and Fleurhof were examples of such communities.
Mayor Tau said City programmes such as Jozi@Work and Vulindlel’ eJozi had been created to ensure that previously marginalised people, including residents of Noordgesig, access opportunities.