GMM responds to Evander CBD’s problems

The concerns of the businessmen and ERPA were sent in an email to Lucky Mhlongo, who is the acting head of communication for Govan Mbeki Municipality.

Mhlongo referred Ridge Times to a response that was given by GMM on a previous article done about the CBD on January 21.

“The municipality’s mandate for law enforcement and social services are limited as the bulk of these functions reside with police and the Department of Social Development.

“However, several street cleaning teams are focused on the central business district while refuse removal regularly empty litter bins and identify possible illegal dumping spots for clearing and preventative actions,” said Mhlongo.

He went on to say that as all people have rights to the freedom of movement and earning a living, this remains a complex matter for which all relevant stakeholders and community members need to work together to collectively find long-term, sustainable, holistic solutions to issues surrounding the homeless, vagrancy and illegal trading in the central business district.

In addition to the above statement, the municipality’s law enforcement section is focused on enforcing its by-laws in all areas and there are a number of operations taking place to combat crime in the town.

“We urge the community to join hands in the fight against criminality and to discourage the street dwellers from loitering near their businesses and vehicles.

“All these efforts will lead to positive spin-offs and will probably see a brighter and safe town for all,” said Mhlongo.

However, Ridge Times made it clear that questions that were asked on email were not being addressed and that referring to answers on a previous article, was not going to cut it and that GMM has a responsibility to give the people answers.

The greatest concern is criminal activities, such as drug trading and homeless squatting, seem to have more rights in today’s society than the tax-paying and law-abiding man.

And that those who are doing their best to bring feet back into the CBD by means of a flea market were threatened with arrest.

Yet drug dealers can trade in the open and squatters can freely erect their shelters.

Mhlongo responded as follows: “An inference that criminals are allowed, is not only inappropriate, but misleading.

“Criminals routinely use different nefarious methods to commit crimes. That calls for multi-sectoral intervention to deal with all forms of criminality,” said Mhlongo.

He said a committee comprised of ratepayers, businesses, police, taxi association and other relevant stakeholders to deal with the malaise of lawlessness and cleanliness of the Evander CBD has been established by the GMM Waste Management section.

Mhlongo said there are no shelters for homeless people within the GMM precinct and part of the committee’s responsibility is the identification of suitable shelters for homeless people.

“There are discussions to barricade certain parts of Evander CBD to avert illegal entries into some parts of the town.

“The municipality is in constant contact with other role players (businesses) for that purpose.

“The municipality’s strategy is supporting long-term rehabilitative solutions, conscious that punitive responses have proven historically to be ineffective, costly, and counter-productive when dealing with homeless people,” said Mhlongo.

He also said that the Department of Social Development has been acknowledged as a critical stakeholder in assisting persons addicted to drugs, particularly homeless people.

The concern on endemic crime at the Evander CBD is to be accordingly communicated to the police whose primary mandate is the prevention of crime.

“Such communication will necessitate a multi-sectoral approach to dealing with crime and its causal factors in the CBD.

“This suggests that greater planning and coordination are required within every sphere of Evander society, GMM, and other government departments, specifically on the question of crime prevention.

“It also requires the involvement of a wider number of new role-players in the residents of Evander,” concluded Mhlongo.