Gomora residents demand end to crime at mayoral committee imbizo
Malusi Youth Development Organisation director, Hlakudi Malatji, says never before in their ward has a full bench of MMCs left their comfortable offices and come down to the people.
During an imbizo held by the metro mayoral committee on December 14, residents of Gomora informal settlement called for a resolution to the crime that affects the area.
The imbizo was held at the Malusi Community Hub, where several members of the committee addressed the community members.
MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, Councillor Kholofelo Morodi said the meeting was successful on the metro’s end.
Morodi said issues residents had to share included title deed certification and the gravelling of roads, among other service delivery woes.
“The community is very concerned about safety. MMC Hannes Coetzee will be working very hard to make sure of sufficient TMPD visibility within the area so we can curb crime. We would also like to ask the residents to register their spaza shops and continue to attend these meetings, so we may work together to resolve their challenges,” Morodi said.
Malusi Youth Development Organisation (MYDO) director, Hlakudi Malatji, says they were honoured to host the imbizo at their centre, which recently turned a year old.
Malusi Community Hub has been a source of community upliftment for the nearly 2 000 residents of the informal settlement.
Malatji said residents were still left in the dark about the metro’s plans and promises and when exact change was expected to take place.
“The event was a success in many ways. The attendance was good in both community and city political heads and on the side of the community. Although the mayor and MMCs opted for a blanket approach, they did not present any specific programme with clear timelines. For the fact that they were led by the deputy mayor, who also holds the purse of the city, we anticipated clear programmes and timelines from him. However they did promise to come back before the end of January 2025, we hope that they will have consolidated all community issues and give proper feedback,” said Malatji.
In March, a new borehole was launched at the centre as part of a collaborative effort between MYDO and Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) to assist with the water challenges of the area.
In May, Gomora embarked on a week-long protest after the Tshwane Ya Tima campaign removed illegal electricity connections in the area.
Malatji agreed with the MMC’s sentiment that more engagements are needed to strengthen the community and hoped the new administration will bring change.
“After all, we appreciate this administration for reaching out to the communities through a series of imbizos they are currently conducting. This has never happened before, at least in our ward where a full bench of MMCs including the Deputy Mayor and officials leave their comfortable offices and come down to the people. That is leadership. They need to frequently engage with communities to have first-hand information and experience what people are subjected to,” said Malatji.
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