Joburg Mayor has 14 days to respond to Sowetans’ petition
The mayor made this request on Tuesday after receiving the memorandum from Sowetans who had marched to her office.
City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor, Dr Mpho Phalatse has asked for 14 days for her and her mayoral committee to go through the memorandum of demands from residents of Soweto.
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The mayor made this request on Tuesday after receiving the memorandum from Sowetans who had marched to her office.
“Please give us 14 days to discuss this and get back to you. Once that 14 day period is over, we will call your leadership and give them a progress report about our discussion and the turnaround plan,” said the mayor, adding that she was confident that they will win this if they work together with Sowetans.
Top of the list of demands is the issue of electricity supply which has been an ongoing challenge for Soweto with about 50 areas across the township currently in the dark.
These blackouts are mostly attributed to mini-sub failures which are due to old and ailing electricity infrastructure.
One resident of Meadowlands told the mayor about her family’s struggle of living without electricity since 2018. She pleaded with Mayor Phalatse to intervene as the power utility has failed to help them.
In the memorandum, Sowetans also raised the issue of crime and informal settlements which continue to mushroom in every corner of Soweto.
When receiving the memorandum, Mayor Phalatse was accompanied by Housing MMC, Mlungisi Mabaso and Public Safety MMC David Tembe amongst others who said they will help address issues of housing and crime.
Leading the march was Nhlanhla Lux and other community leaders such as Thabang Moloi and Keabetsoe Sticks Malebo.
Lux thanked the mayor for committing to a 14 day turnaround time and promised Sowetans that community meetings will be convened with Eskom to come up with solutions to the power crisis.
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