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DA-led City of Johannesburg delivers more housing

by John Moodey MPL – DA Gauteng Provincial Leader

The DA-led City of Johannesburg delivered another 488 title deeds to beneficiaries in Zola North in Soweto today.
Recipients were selected on a first-come, first-serve basis in accordance with the longest standing housing applications submitted to the City’s housing department.
Some of these applications for these deeds date back as far as 1996.
Thousands of residents took occupation of these mainly four-roomed houses during the 1980s and the occupants were put on a 99 year lease, as they were only given the right to occupy the houses and not own them.
However, the system was undone in the democratic dispensation and the process of giving residents title deeds started in the 1990s.
The DA has handed over more than 5140 title deeds to residents in Braamfischerville, Diepkloof, Pennyville, Eldorado Park, Meadowlands and Orlando in Soweto in the two years since it took over the City of Johannesburg.
This is just one example of the DA’s commitment to improving the living conditions of citizens by giving residents the dignity that comes with owning a home.
Where we govern, we are changing the lives of people.
This is the beginning of real change that builds one South Africa for all.

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Failing ANC-led Gauteng underspends and fails to build houses for people oppressed by poverty

by Mervyn Cirota MPL – DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements

The failed ANC-led Gauteng administration cannot be trusted with providing houses for people oppressed by poverty as they consistently underspend on their allocated budget and are unable to meet targets.
According to the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements First Quarterly Report for the 2017/18 financial year, they underspent by 69% in the Housing Development Programme.
The department has also failed to meet all of its targets.
The planned target of 50 houses to be built for provincial specific programmes was not achieved.
The target of 60 projects planned using building technologies (IBTs) was not achieved.
20 Community Residential Units were identified for conversion, but this target was also not met.
1050 stands were supposed to be serviced as part of the first phase of the Integrated Residential Development Programme (IRDP) but this did not happen.
In addition, of the planned target of 1627 stands serviced for the IRDP Phase Two, only 1229 stands were serviced with a shortfall of 398 stands.
The department claims that none of these targets were met because of the delay in appointing contractors, the slow pace of work by the contractors and interference by the local business forum.
It is totally unacceptable that a fully furnished department with all the required resources and budget is failing to achieve any of its targets.
This is a clear indication that the ANC has failed in its mandate to provide houses for our poor people, and make excuse after excuse for not delivering.
The Gauteng Premier, David Makhura and Human Settlement MEC, Uhuru Moiloa are paying lip service and continue to break their promises.
The Gauteng housing waiting list has reached over a million. It is now clear that the ANC-led Gauteng government has failed to deliver dignified houses to our people and can no longer be trusted.
The DA is the only party that can bring Change and provide adequate houses for Gauteng residents oppressed by poverty and unemployment.

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Failing ANC-led Gauteng underspends and fails to build houses for people oppressed by poverty

by Mervyn Cirota MPL – DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements

The failed ANC-led Gauteng administration cannot be trusted with providing houses for people oppressed by poverty as they consistently underspend on their allocated budget and are unable to meet targets.

According to the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements First Quarterly Report for the 2017/18 financial year, they underspent by 69% in the Housing Development Programme.

The department has also failed to meet all of its targets.

The planned target of 50 houses to be built for provincial specific programmes was not achieved.

The target of 60 projects planned using building technologies (IBTs) was not achieved.

20 Community Residential Units were identified for conversion, but this target was also not met.

1050 stands were supposed to be serviced as part of the first phase of the Integrated Residential Development Programme (IRDP) but this did not happen.

In addition, of the planned target of 1627 stands serviced for the IRDP Phase Two, only 1229 stands were serviced with a shortfall of 398 stands.

The department claims that none of these targets were met because of the delay in appointing contractors, the slow pace of work by the contractors and interference by the local business forum.

It is totally unacceptable that a fully furnished department with all the required resources and budget is failing to achieve any of its targets.

This is a clear indication that the ANC has failed in its mandate to provide houses for our poor people, and make excuse after excuse for not delivering.

The Gauteng Premier, David Makhura and Human Settlement MEC, Uhuru Moiloa are paying lip service and continue to break their promises.

The Gauteng housing waiting list has reached over a million. It is now clear that the ANC-led Gauteng government has failed to deliver dignified houses to our people and can no longer be trusted.

The DA is the only party that can bring Change and provide adequate houses for Gauteng residents oppressed by poverty and unemployment.

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Gauteng Health MEC shares blame for baby deaths

by Jack Bloom MPL – DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC

The damning statements by the SA Human Rights Commission following their visit yesterday to investigate baby deaths at the Thelle Mogoerane Hospital highlight a dire situation that Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa ignored because of her friendship with the hospital CEO Nomonde Mqhayi-Mbambo.

According to Buang Jones, the SAHRC’s Gauteng Provincial Manager, the 61 bed neonatal unit is “a crime scene” and “there is a deep-rooted leadership crisis at this hospital.”

Gross overcrowding and understaffing were major factors in the deaths of six babies from antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella.

Mqhayi-Mbambo is now on “special leave” but she should have been removed long ago.

I have long raised problems at this hospital which repeatedly blocked my attempts to do oversight in the wards.

Ramokgopa shares the blame for these preventable deaths.

It is another reason for her to resign or be fired following the fire in the Department’s decrepit Head Office that led to the deaths of three fire fighters.

Ramokgopa has not learned the lessons of the Life Esidimeni tragedy as she inexcusably ignored warnings of infection risk and protected the hospital’s incapable CEO.

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Gauteng Health MEC shares blame for baby deaths

by Jack Bloom MPL – DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC

The damning statements by the SA Human Rights Commission following their visit yesterday to investigate baby deaths at the Thelle Mogoerane Hospital highlight a dire situation that Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa ignored because of her friendship with the hospital CEO Nomonde Mqhayi-Mbambo.
According to Buang Jones, the SAHRC’s Gauteng Provincial Manager, the 61 bed neonatal unit is “a crime scene” and “there is a deep-rooted leadership crisis at this hospital.”
Gross overcrowding and understaffing were major factors in the deaths of six babies from antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella.
Mqhayi-Mbambo is now on “special leave” but she should have been removed long ago.
I have long raised problems at this hospital which repeatedly blocked my attempts to do oversight in the wards.
Ramokgopa shares the blame for these preventable deaths.
It is another reason for her to resign or be fired following the fire in the Department’s decrepit Head Office that led to the deaths of three fire fighters.
Ramokgopa has not learned the lessons of the Life Esidimeni tragedy as she inexcusably ignored warnings of infection risk and protected the hospital’s incapable CEO.

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Zandspruit residents have no confidence in the police

by Solly Msimanga Cllr – DA Gauteng Premier Candidate

Today, hundreds of residents from the Zandspruit informal settlement marched to the Honeydew Police Station demanding that the police must deal with the escalating level of crime, particularly the scourge of women and children abuse taking place in their community, amongst other things.
Honeydew is the police station that serves Zandspruit.
Residents claim that they report various incidents of crime to the police but yet nothing is being done to keep the people safe, especially women and children.
Residents handed over a memorandum to police with a list of concerns that they want the police to address. The residents of Zandspruit have lost faith in the police as they are failing in their mandate to prevent crime and to ensure residents’ safety.
Honeydew is one of top 30 stations in the country for Assault GBH and Common Assault, common robbery, robbery with aggravating circumstances, carjacking, robbery residential, Trio crimes, contact crimes and sexual assault.
The recent crime statistics released by the National Minister of Police, Bheki Cele for the 2017/2018 financial year, indicated that Gauteng has become a haven for criminals, with murder and sexual offences on the rise.
The ANC is failing in its mandate to keep the residents of Zandspruit safe.
It is clear that residents of Zandspruit are in dire need of Change.
Although there are good men and women in the SAPS who are committed to serving communities, it is also true that there are negative elements in the SAPS that need to be removed in order for the SAPS to do its job. The SAPS need to be professionalised in order to serve communities across Gauteng.
The DA has a clear plan in place to ensure the safety of Gauteng’s residents by rooting out corruption and hiring professional police who are passionate about serving the people.
We will also ensure that the police service is well equipped with the necessary resources needed to combat crime such as specialised vehicles and staff.
It is high-time that our people are given a police force that is honest, professional and effective in fighting crime.
Come 2019 we will ensure that we give our residents the police force they deserve.

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DA-led Johannesburg working to restore order and keep residents safe

by John Moodey – DA Gauteng Leader

The DA-led City of Johannesburg, together with the Johannesburg Metro Police Department, is taking action to tackle the scourge of crime in the city.
We inherited a city in state of disrepair from the ANC administration, a city held hostage by drug lords and crime.
The residents of Johannesburg deserve a safer city.
We have therefore recruited 1 500 additional metro police officers, in addition to the 3 700 existing operational officers, who are patrolling the streets daily in cars and on foot and have additional stop and search powers.
A new specialised K9 narcotics unit was also set up within the police department just under a year ago as one of the measures to crack down on drug trafficking in the City.
The new unit’s focus on drug-related crimes in hotspot areas such as Rosettenville, Turffontein and Roodepoort has yielded considerable success, including the seizure of hundreds of kilograms of drugs, stolen mobile phones, hijacked vehicles, hijacked buildings and the arrest of hundreds of undocumented immigrants.
The department’s Operation #BuyaMtheto campaign, which enforces by-laws and brings the rule of law back to the city, has collected more than R1.8 million from unpaid traffic fines during the first two weeks of February.
Another initiative is the newly launched police satellite station in Kenilworth, which is part of our vision to create safe and secure communities for our citizens. The DA will do everything in its power to ensure that every Johannesburg resident, regardless of race, age or background, feels safe in the City.
We have also installed 25 high tech CCTV cameras in Soweto’s popular Vilakazi Street, to enhance the safety of business owners, the public and tourists who visit the houses of Nobel Prize winners Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.
We reiterate our view that high visibility policing and rapid response units are needed if we are going to reduce crime and ensure criminals are brought to book.
Our crime and safety initiatives are just one example of why the DA is the only party to vote for in the next election.
Where we govern, we are bringing order and changing the lives of our people.
This is the beginning of real change that builds one South Africa for all, where citizens feel safe in their homes and on the streets.

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State Security Agency must probe plot to remove Ramaphosa

by Refiloe Nt’sekhe MPL – DA National Spokesperson

The DA is calling for an investigation by the State Security Agency into the meeting that reportedly took place in early September involving former president Jacob Zuma and senior members of the ANC, including Secretary-General Ace Magashule, former North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo, and ANC Women’s League Secretary-General Matuba Meokgo.

It would be easy to dismiss the meeting at the Maharani Hotel in Durban, which reportedly also involved the former SAA Chairperson, Dudu Myeni, and criminally-convicted Nelson Mandela Bay Councillor, Andile Lungisa, as an internal party matter. However, if reports are to be believed, the subject of discussion was nothing less than the removal of the President of South Africa.

If true, the meeting was an effort to undermine our constitutional order and those who participated in it may be guilty of a criminal offence. The seriousness of the allegations cannot be overestimated.

We cannot allow infighting of the failing ANC to undermine South Africa’s constitutional democracy. This plot proves yet again that the failing ANC is incapable of changing and that its internal party conflicts threaten to destabilise a country that is already in a technical recession plunging millions of our people into unemployment and poverty.

The meeting also illustrates how today’s ANC is no different from the Zuma-era ANC, replete with the same corruption-tainted officials and failed premiers, now recycled into even more senior positions under President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Instability in the ANC cannot result in instability of the country. That is why it is essential that the Minister of State Security, Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba, orders an investigation into this matter urgently to determine the nature of the gathering and whether or not any of the discussions centred on the removal of President Ramaphosa which could destabilise South Africa.

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#MsimangaforPremier: Zandspruit residents have no confidence in the police

by Solly Msimanga Cllr – DA Gauteng Premier Candidate

Today, hundreds of residents from the Zandspruit informal settlement marched to the Honeydew Police Station demanding that the police must deal with the escalating level of crime, particularly the scourge of women and children abuse taking place in their community, amongst other things.

Honeydew is the police station that serves Zandspruit.

Residents claim that they report various incidents of crime to the police but yet nothing is being done to keep the people safe, especially women and children.

Residents handed over a memorandum to police with a list of concerns that they want the police to address. The residents of Zandspruit have lost faith in the police as they are failing in their mandate to prevent crime and to ensure residents’ safety.

Honeydew is one of top 30 stations in the country for Assault GBH and Common Assault, common robbery, robbery with aggravating circumstances, carjacking, robbery residential, Trio crimes, contact crimes and sexual assault.

The recent crime statistics released by the National Minister of Police, Bheki Cele for the 2017/2018 financial year, indicated that Gauteng has become a haven for criminals, with murder and sexual offences on the rise.

The ANC is failing in its mandate to keep the residents of Zandspruit safe.

It is clear that residents of Zandspruit are in dire need of Change.

Although there are good men and women in the SAPS who are committed to serving communities, it is also true that there are negative elements in the SAPS that need to be removed in order for the SAPS to do its job. The SAPS need to be professionalised in order to serve communities across Gauteng.

The DA has a clear plan in place to ensure the safety of Gauteng’s residents by rooting out corruption and hiring professional police who are passionate about serving the people.

We will also ensure that the police service is well equipped with the necessary resources needed to combat crime such as specialised vehicles and staff.

It is high-time that our people are given a police force that is honest, professional and effective in fighting crime.

Come 2019 we will ensure that we give our residents the police force they deserve.

Posted on

DA-led Johannesburg working to restore order and keep residents safe

by John Moodey – DA Gauteng Leader

The DA-led City of Johannesburg, together with the Johannesburg Metro Police Department, is taking action to tackle the scourge of crime in the city.

We inherited a city in state of disrepair from the ANC administration, a city held hostage by drug lords and crime.

The residents of Johannesburg deserve a safer city.

We have therefore recruited 1 500 additional metro police officers, in addition to the 3 700 existing operational officers, who are patrolling the streets daily in cars and on foot and have additional stop and search powers.

A new specialised K9 narcotics unit was also set up within the police department just under a year ago as one of the measures to crack down on drug trafficking in the City.

The new unit’s focus on drug-related crimes in hotspot areas such as Rosettenville, Turffontein and Roodepoort has yielded considerable success, including the seizure of hundreds of kilograms of drugs, stolen mobile phones, hijacked vehicles, hijacked buildings and the arrest of hundreds of undocumented immigrants.

The department’s Operation #BuyaMtheto campaign, which enforces by-laws and brings the rule of law back to the city, has collected more than R1.8 million from unpaid traffic fines during the first two weeks of February.

Another initiative is the newly launched police satellite station in Kenilworth, which is part of our vision to create safe and secure communities for our citizens. The DA will do everything in its power to ensure that every Johannesburg resident, regardless of race, age or background, feels safe in the City.

We have also installed 25 high tech CCTV cameras in Soweto’s popular Vilakazi Street, to enhance the safety of business owners, the public and tourists who visit the houses of Nobel Prize winners Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.

We reiterate our view that high visibility policing and rapid response units are needed if we are going to reduce crime and ensure criminals are brought to book.

Our crime and safety initiatives are just one example of why the DA is the only party to vote for in the next election.

Where we govern, we are bringing order and changing the lives of our people.

This is the beginning of real change that builds one South Africa for all, where citizens feel safe in their homes and on the streets.