Sports facilities on top of residents’ IDP wish list
18 April 2016
Sports and recreation facilities featured highly on the list of capital projects that the City of Johannesburg’s residents in Region G want to see provided for in the 2016-2017 Budget.
Most of the residents who took to the podium during an Integrated Development Plan (IDP) meeting at Lenasia Hall on Wednesday night urged Member of the Mayoral Committee for Corporate Shared Services Councillor Mally Mokoena and Regional Director Mickey Padiachee to prioritise the provision of sports and recreation facilities in their planning processes. Both MMC Mokoena and Padiachee were at the meeting.
Region G – the most economically depressed in the City of Johannesburg – consists of areas such as Eldorado Park, parts of Naturena, Lenasia, Zakariyya Park, Vlakfontein, Thembelihle, Orange Farm, Lawyley, Grasmere, Finetown, Ennerdale, Driziek and Poorjtie.
“The lack of sports and recreation facilities has seen young people in our areas turn to drugs, alcoholism and gangsterism. Our township, in particular, desperately needs these facilities,” said Xoliswa Ndibambi of Lehae.
She was backed by Sundra Moodley of Lenasia, who spoke about the need for an outdoor family gym. He said there were many obese people in the region and urged the City to come up with “some serious interventions”. He also spoke of the need to have a 24-hour clinic in Lenasia.
In his regional overview of community-based projects approved for implementation, Padiachee said despite the high poverty levels in the region, there was potential for the welfare of the residents to improve. He said apart from poverty, the region faced challenges such as cable theft, damage of infrastructure, electricity theft, land invasion and social issues such as drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and family violence.
To mitigate these challenges Padiachee said the region had developed strong management team involving City entities such as City Power, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, Johannesburg City Parks & Zoo, Johannesburg Water, as well as the departments of housing and health and social development. He said the electrification of informal settlements such as Lawley and Thembelihle was in full swing. The electrification of Protea South would follow shortly, he said.
Padiachee said new capital expenditure projects in the pipeline included à R60-million housing development in Lehae extension 1, upgrading of the Nirvana power substation at a cost of R35-million and the building of a new public transport facility in Lenasia costing R21-million.
MMC Mokoena said the City had made free Wi-Fi available in almost all public libraries to assist learners and students with their studies without having to incur any costs. The MMC called on students studying towards public administration qualifications to apply for bursaries from the City. The municipality, she said, also offered internships and learnerships.