The city has lost control – but a parallel state will thankfully continue to grow, day-by-day.
One doesn’t need to be a rocket scientist to see the now-fast degradation of the City of Joburg.
I’ve lived in the city since I was a child and never have I seen the decay, crime and grime as I do now.
It doesn’t matter where you are in Joburg, the story is the same – and continues to get worse daily.
My mother, who resides in Kensington, recently had no water for an eye-watering five weeks.
Potholes continue to grow and where the city appears to be fixing a problem, it also simultaneously creates additional problems.
In an attempt to fix the Kensington water problem, the city dug huge trenches at least three months ago.
They remain seemingly untouched while Kensington residents count a day with four hours of water as a good one…
As a result, recently a vehicle drove into one of the three Queen Street ditches created by the city.
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Over recent years, Joburg residents in all communities have started to create a parallel state to protect themselves from the corrupt, inept and uncaring ANC-coalition city government.
Those that can afford it, both private households and businesses, have installed alternative energy and water systems so that their electricity does not succumb to the endless power outages produced by the city, or to the water cuts that have become a norm.
As usual, it is those who cannot afford the alternative systems that are left high and dry in the dark – literally and figuratively.
I would hazard a guess that most traffic lights in the city do not work as a result an increasing number of men have become makeshift robot intersection pointsmen by directing traffic during peak periods.
The pathetic city is simply not addressing the damaged traffic lights so, thanks to these enterprising men, they have made a small business out of this, paid by motorists grateful that their daily peak hour commute is made easier.
An example of how private enterprise is more efficient and developing its own solutions.
No longer are security companies – that have surpassed the SA Police Service in operations, person-power and efficiency – only the purview of those that can afford it.
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Poorer communities are now also joining in the “privatisation” of the police and their functions to fight crime. Instead of addressing the crime problem, the city, with strong support from the coalition members – ActionSA in particular – proposed a privately owned closed-circuit television surveillance camera bylaw.
This bylaw would aim to regulate private CCTV systems, requiring residents and businesses to register their cameras and provide the city with access to their surveillance footage.
This is yet another admission that they are not able to deal with crime in the city.
New, more affordable security companies are now serving poorer communities, while in other communities, informal security groups coordinated and managed by locals are now also developing their own systems and strategies to fight crime in particular neighbourhoods.
Joburgers have come to realise that waiting for the mayor and his limp-wristed coalition team to do something in the interest of residents is futile. The solution is to do things ourselves.
So, gradually over recent years, a parallel privately run city government is being created, ironically right under the nose of the ANC and its cronies, who love total and absolute control.
It has lost control and until there is real leadership and interest in changing the fortunes of Joburg for the better, the parallel state will thankfully continue to grow day-by-day.
