Ntirhisano promises Doornkop satellite police station

16 October 2015

 

Hundreds of Doornkop, Soweto, residents yesterday (Thursday October 15) ululated, clapped and whistled when leaders of the City of Johannesburg and the Gauteng Provincial Government announced that a satellite police station would be established in the area within the next few weeks.

 

The announcement was made during a service-delivery imbizo under the Ntirhisano Community Outreach Programme, a joint initiative of the provincial government and the City that seeks to speed up service delivery.

 

“Finally, our prayers have been answered, nkosi. Our cries for help were not in vain. The satellite police station could be the beginning of better things in our community. For a long time tsotsis have been harassing us,” said resident Tsakani Maswanganyi.

 

Speaking on behalf of Johannesburg Executive Mayor Councillor Parks Tau at the Doornkop Community Hall, Councillor Christine Walters, the City’s Member of the Mayoral Committee for Transport, said more Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers would be deployed to the area to complement the work of the South African Police Service.

 

“But residents need to cooperate with law-enforcement agencies. They know who the lawbreakers are in the community. They know where stolen property is hidden. By working hand in glove with the police, we will win the war against crime and lawlessness ravaging our communities,” said MMC Walters.

 

Later, at a packed Kopanong Community Hall in Dobsonville, Gauteng Finance MEC Barbara Creecy told residents that the provincial government was working with the City of Johannesburg in ensuring that municipal bylaws were relaxed to favour the creation of small township business. Residents had expressed their impatience at the slow pace of housing delivery and the lack of business opportunities.

 

“Through the Qondis’ Ishishini Lakho (Fix Your Business) campaign, the Gauteng Provincial Government will ensure that the Township Economy Revitalisation Programme becomes a reality as more and more businesses are registered and no longer operate on the margins,” said MEC Creecy.

 

The meeting also heard that the City’s Jozi@Work programme had awarded work packages running into millions of rands to cooperatives and small township businesses, turning them into providers of goods and services. Residents were also told about Vulindlel’ eJozi, a City scheme aimed at creating job opportunities for the youth.