No-show disappoints local councillor
A number of departments failed to show up for a planned operation aimed at identifying problems with the view of prioritising solutions.
The walkabout was supposed to consist of the City of Joburg’s Urban Management, Environmental Health Department, Town Planning, Building Control, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Pikitup, City Power, City Parks, Joburg Water and the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA). The departments were scheduled to meet at the Yeoville Recreation Centre at 9am.
The EXPRESS was there and the only other entity present was City Parks and ward 66 councillor, Clr Carlos Da Rocha.
The EXPRESS took a drive with Clr Da Rocha, who pointed out the importance of the proposed operation.
“The aim of the operation was for each department to identify problem areas and fix them on the day. They could have prioritised repairs. Just have a look at the water running down the street – in one swoop all this water could have been saved,” said Clr Da Rocha.
He was unhappy about the state of some areas such as Rocky Street and the illegal buildings that keep rising in Bellevue.
“We could have made a massive difference, by tonight the area would have been spotless,” said Clr Da Rocha.
He lamented the fact that some departments were not fulfilling their mandate, taking tax-payers’ money and doing nothing with it. Rocky Street is a major problem in Yeoville. Car guards are doubling up as criminals or “look-outs” who monitor the movements of car owners and break into their cars once they are out of sight. This is where the Metro Police’s 10-plus campaign should be taking effect.
“The JMPD not showing up is a setback for us. They should be available at our disposal,” said Clr Da Rocha.
He said the department should be more proactive in their approach. There have been reports of traders being robbed at gunpoint on Rocky Street. The question that needs to be asked is what deters street traders from doing business at the Yeoville Market? A few traders the EXPRESS spoke to said the monthly rent was keeping them away. “We are here to try and make money and the market takes away the little we make, so we rather trade from the street,” said Ms Zungu, who has been a trader for over a decade.
The EXPRESS requested comment from Ms Dudu Lushaba and Ms Thembi Radebe from the City of Johannesburg by September 12 at 10am. At the time of going to print no comment had been received.
