Councillor Reddy blasts mayor’s visit to Ginger Park

Ward 93 councillor Vino Reddy has broken his silence following Friday’s (July 25) high-profile visit by Executive Mayor Dada Morero to the Ginger Park informal settlement, describing the intervention as ‘too little, too late and grossly inadequate.’

The mayor’s visit to the site, located in Paulshof, came amid growing community tensions over illegal land occupations and deteriorating living conditions. But Reddy, who has long called for urgent intervention, said the event offered little more than optics and political posturing.

“Thank you for the show, but where is the action? Our residents deserve more than that; they deserve results,” said Reddy.

According to Reddy, the challenges posed by the growth of informal settlements in the area are nothing new. He said the camps, particularly Ginger Farm and Clayoven, have been expanding for years, bringing with them issues such as overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, by-law violations, and increased crime concerns from surrounding communities.

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“Despite repeated calls for decisive action, the city has responded with silence or token efforts,” he said.

“This is an illegal land invasion. The city must find alternative accommodation and start a lawful, humane relocation process.”

Reddy claimed that his multiple formal submissions, questions in council, and engagements with departments have gone largely unanswered. He also criticised the mayor for not consulting or involving him in Friday’s engagement.

“The mayor failed to even consult the local ward councillor, that’s me, despite knowing I’ve been raising these issues consistently. If he’s serious, he should be working with us, not sidelining us.”

Also read: Ginger Park residents confront councillor

During Friday’s visit, tensions flared as frustrated residents turned their anger on Reddy, confronting him and demanding accountability. But the councillor insists that blame has been misdirected.

“The anger displayed by the residents was incorrectly directed at me; it should have been directed at the mayor. The city, under the mayor and the Government of Local Unity, is ultimately responsible for services or the lack thereof. Their [residents’] circumstances are noted by the fact that they occupy private land, and the city does not provide services on private property.”

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