With a few days before millions cast their votes in the local government elections, the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Mpho Moerane, gave the residents of Marlboro in Region E the last push on service provision through the Accelerated Service Delivery Programme on Friday.
Flanked by most members of his mayoral committee, Cllr Moerane carried on where the late former Executive Mayors, Cllr Geoff Makhubo and Cllr Jolidee Matongo, left off in making sure that the residents of Johannesburg are provided for in terms of services.
“We are now in Marlboro and we were told that there is a house that has 46 shacks in one yard. I have just instructed JMPD that I am giving them seven days. They must be demolished. It is wrong, inhabitable and they must find alternative accommodation to cater for the South Africans who are staying here,” said Mayor Moerane.
Residents of Marlboro, particularly those who are paying home loans, claimed hijacked properties devalued their neighbourhood.
One of the shack owners, Frieda Tshitsonga, said she has been living in Marlboro under severe conditions since August because she did not have alternative accommodation. “I heard about this place where I could erect my shack for R600 a month. I don’t even know my landlord, I just know that every month there is someone who will come to collect the rent.”
After dealing with illegal occupiers, Mayor Moerane shifted his focus to the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic. He urged parents to take their children aged between 12 and 17 to clinics to have them vaccinated.
“I am fully vaccinated, my children are vaccinated and all my colleagues are. I encourage people to get vaccinated because vaccination saves lives and the numbers are going down but the fourth wave is coming,” he said.
The City has vaccinated 1.1 million residents, however the number is below the target of 70% vaccinations before the fourth wave starts.
“We have the responsibility to encourage our people in particular those in the townships. The vaccination rate is low in Region D, which is in Soweto, Region G, which are the areas of Orange Farm and Region F, the inner city. Region E is high with almost 75% of people who have vaccinated,” added Cllr Moerane.
Written by Gontse ‘GeE’ Hlophe
25/10/2021