One of a series of virtual Community-Based Planning (CBP) sessions organised by the Speaker of Council has heard demands by residents of Region D in Soweto for the municipality to adopt a stricter approach to bylaw enforcement in the area.
Scores of people who logged on to the digital meeting on Thursday, 11 February 2021 called for answers on service delivery issues affecting their community, which they claim had been raised in previous engagements with the City.
The online meeting was convened by Council Speaker, Cllr Nonceba Molwele to afford residents of Johannesburg a platform to air views about how the City can deal with backlogs in the delivery of municipal services. This is part of Cllr Molwele’s citywide virtual expedition for ideas that can determine the substance and character of the municipality’s Integrated Development Plan (IDP).
Residents urge the City to take stern action against rampant lawlessness in Soweto, including illegal dumping, public drinking, illegal taxi ranks, the theft of public infrastructure and land invasions.
Salome Mogotsi, the Regional Director for Region D concurs with sentiments from residents of Soweto that the area is plagued by lawlessness. She confirms there are regular grievances about the mushrooming of illegal backyard mechanics, renovations being undertaken without council approval and inadequate public housing.
Mogotsi says at least 100 JMPD officers will be deployed to the region to bolster by-law enforcement.
“I want to assure residents that law enforcement is a top priority particularly in Region D. With the City having re-introduced the JMPD’s Joburg10Plus and additional resources in the region, we should start to see people getting fines on the spot for by-law infringements,” she adds.
Esther Maema, a resident of Soweto’s suburb of Naledi says Rea Vaya routes need to be extended to cover all areas of the township.
“Currently, residents of Naledi have to walk long distances or take a taxi to Protea North to catch a Rea Vaya bus. We request that the route be extended to include all areas of Soweto,” Maema says.
She notes that there also needs to be paved sidewalks and parks in every ward, and each state-subsidised household needs to have a tittle-deed.
Mokgotsi acknowledges backlogs in the delivery of municipal services, however, she explains that significant work is being undertaken on key projects to improve the quality of life in the region.
Some of the key infrastructure projects include the installation of street lights and an emergency water pipe in Protea Glen; the construction of phase 1 of the broad-range Lufhereng Housing Development, and phase 1 and 2 of the Slovoville roads upgrade by the JRA, with phase 3 of the project expected to commence next month.
Cllr Loyiso Masuku, the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Corporate and Shared Services says all public comments are crucial to ensure a legitimate public consultation process as provided for in prescripts of municipal governance.
The legislature led CBP outreach sessions are scheduled to run on digital platforms until Friday, 5 March 2021 and serve as a forerunner to the IDP process, designed to produce service delivery policies for each ward in all of the City’s seven regions.
Cllr Masuku encourages residents to use the CBP process to hold municipal officials accountable for the slow pace of service delivery.
“The CBP process is designed to ensure all citizens are included in future planning arrangements for the City; as a result, the process is citizen-focused and empowering,” she says.
All engagements are streamed live on the City’s social media pages, including Twitter and Facebook. Residents may also join the meeting by logging onto the City’s website, www.joburg.org.za; click on Notices, then select CBP meeting.
Inputs may be submitted to cbpinputs@joburg.org.za or online by clicking on this link: https://share.hsforms.com/1-W81Bz_gS6yf20an7wB-uQ469tl. Written comments can be submitted through suggestion boxes available at each regional office. Telephone Yusuf Lachporia on 011 407-6310 or Yusufl@joburg.org.za for any enquiries.
Written by Nkosana Lekotjolo