Zille leads hands-on oversight tour through Randburg
Potholes filled, parks inspected, and hijacked buildings exposed as the DA pays Randburg a much-needed visit.
Helen Zille, the Democratic Alliance (DA) Johannesburg mayoral candidate, spent her day in Randburg, surrounded by members of the DA, all dressed in blue.
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The party conducted oversight visits in different wards, for Zille to see and understand the daily struggles of its residents. Their oversights were not just speeches and handshakes; they were action.
The party began on Maria Street in Fontainebleau, where they patched a few potholes. Zille and her team rolled up their sleeves, using what they described as an easy-to-use, cheaper asphalt mix. They worked hard, smoothing the surface on a long-neglected road.
She called it a very interesting experience. “We first filled some potholes today on a busy road. It was quite hard, physical labour, but it shows me how easy it actually is today to fill a pothole, and how cheap a bag of asphalt is. So, there’s really no reason why the city can’t fill all the potholes.”
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From there, the group went to a nearby park overtaken by vagrants. Overgrown grass and broken benches told a story of abandonment. Zille listened closely, offering support to reclaim the park.
The oversight tour then moved to Windsor, and finally Ferndale, where they confronted the reality of hijacked buildings. Crumbling walls revealed dire living conditions. In some buildings, there are shacks built inside yards.
@caxtonjoburgnorth WATCH: Helen Zille addresses the issues of hijacked buildings in the city. Video: Mthulisi Lwazi Khuboni #Randburg #DA ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North
She called what she saw in Windsor an incredibly depressing experience. “I remember what a wonderful suburb Windsor used to be, but how derelict it is now. All the drunk people or people on drugs were milling around there, and the degradation of buildings is very clear.”
Regarding hijacked properties, she said, fortunately, there’s going to be a relaxation of the Prevention of Illegal Evictions Act, which is going to make it much easier to get eviction orders against people who hijack properties.
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