#GautengGangHotspots: Sophiatown, Reiger Park and Eldorado Park identified as gang-related crime hotspots

Sophiatown, Reiger Park and Eldorado Park have seen a spike in gang-related crimes during the 2019/2020 financial year.

This was revealed to me by the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko in a written reply to my questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.

According to MEC Mazibuko the Gauteng Anti-Gang Task Team was established at the end of the 2018/19 financial year.

A total of 43 cases related to gangsterism have been reported since its inception.

This clearly indicates that gang-related crimes are also a serious challenge facing our communities.

Fighting gang-related crime should not only happen once a year but should rather be the focus of ongoing crime fighting activity by SAPS. This must include local patrols as well as having an extensive local intelligence network.

We call on MEC Faith Mazibuko to strengthen the fight against gang-related crime as our communities are at risk and lawlessness is the order of the day.

I will be tabling follow-up questions to the MEC in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature to determine how many people have been arrested, prosecuted and convicted from these 43 reported cases.

DA concerned about appointment of new Acting CEO for Gauteng Film Commission

The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes with concern the appointment of Shane Maja as the new Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Gauteng Film Commission (GFC).

Since 23 February 2017 when Mr Andile Mbeki the CEO was placed on suspension this entity has been run by acting CEOs.

Shane Maja took over from Simangele Sekgobela who has been acting in the same position since 2017.

This clearly indicates that the appointment of a proper CEO seems to be a challenge for this entity.

We cannot have an institution that operates with acting senior executives for years while a platform to have appointed full-time office bearers exists.

The GFC has an important function to play in supporting the development of the film industry and it cannot be that it is left unstable for such a long time.

This provincial entity needs a full-time captain to steer this ship and it can no longer rely on acting CEOs.

I have tabled written questions to the Gauteng MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation (SACR), Mbali Hlophe to ascertain why this entity has not yet appointed a CEO, why is this entity keeps appointing acting CEOs, and whether proper recruitment processes were followed in hiring Shane Majola and what the required qualifications are for the CEO position.

Mogale City Council governed by lawlessness

Since the 2016 municipal elections, the Mogale City Council is dysfunctional with no established committees which form part of the structures of the Council.

Mogale City Council does not have the following section 79 committees required by the Municipal systems act; Ethics Committee, Petitions Committee, Programming Committee and Rules Committee.

This clearly indicates that this local municipality is governed by lawlessness as these committees are crucial for the day-to-day running of the Council.

Each one of these committees plays a significant role in ensuring that the Council abides by the rules enshrined by the Constitution. They are also an oversight mechanism to ensure that adequate services are rendered to the residents.

According to the Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Lebogang Maile the Mogale City Council has not yet established the Petitions Committee due to a lack of consensus among political parties represented in Council. MEC Maile was responding to the DA’s written questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.

The Petitions Committee serves as a mediator when residents of Mogale City are not satisfied with the services they receive from the municipality.

This means, since 2016, residents have been robbed of a structural ear that seeks to listen to their cries and complaints.

We call on MEC Maile to intervene as a matter of urgency to ensure that this Council establishes these much needed committees. This is to ensure that this Council does the work its mandated to do for its residents.

Gauteng SACR underspends on its annual budget by R126 million

The Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation (SACR) has once again underspent on its annual budget. This was revealed in the department’s annual report for the 2018/19 financial year.

According to the report, the department underspent across all its four major programmes, yet they are unable to provide support to our budding artists and are yet to fix our heritage sites.

The department underspent R35,5 million in Programme One: Administration. In Programme Two: Cultural Affairs, they underspent by R24,1 million and R49,3 million on Programme Three:  Library and Archives Services. The department also underspent R17,4 million on Programme Four:  Sport and Recreation.

It is unacceptable for the department to underspend on its core programmes while failing to render adequate services to our people.

This department has money but does not know how to spend it.

This clearly indicates that this department lacks a proper planning and financial management system.

The money that was underspent in the cultural affairs programme could have been spent on nurturing aspiring artists by providing theatre skills and training as well as marketing our local theatre productions.

Some of our heritage sites are in a state of disrepair; the money could also have been spent on fixing the historic Mamelodi Rondavels and maintaining Solomon Mahlangu Square.

The accounting officers must be held accountable for this unnecessary and unjustified under-expenditure.

I will continue to put pressure on Gauteng SARC MEC, Mbali Hlophe to ensure that this department spends its allocated budget for the benefit of our residents. If the department does not know how to spend its budget, then they must consult different stakeholders in SARC so as to get an understanding of the challenges that require urgent intervention.

Filmmakers side-lined as Gauteng Film Commission blows budget on staff salaries

Young and talented filming makers in Gauteng, many of whom seek the assistance of the Gauteng Film Commission will not receive financial support from the Commission as more than 50 per cent of the entity’s budget has been spent on staff salaries.

This shocking revelation was made by Gauteng MEC for Sports, Recreation, Arts, and Culture and Recreation (SRAC), Mbali Hlophe as well as the Acting CEO of the Gauteng Film Commission, Ms Simangele Sekgobela to the Gauteng Legislature’s portfolio committee for SRAC.

According to MEC Hlophe, of the 22 staff members of the Gauteng Film Commission ten are managers.

This means that there is almost one manger per subordinate staff member.

Sadly, the Commission has become a job employment agency, rather than what it’s core mandate stipulates – supporting and growing the film makers and the film industry in Gauteng.

There must be urgent action taken to stop the unnecessary bloat in the Commission.

This is another example of how the ANC government in Gauteng has misused public funds to support the lifestyles of cadres and not those who are deserving of support.

I will write to the MEC to ascertain when the staff organogram in the Commission will be readjusted to reflect its mandate of supporting, young and aspiring talent.

Rectify the continuous underspending within the Department of SRAC

Honourable Speaker,

Let me start by congratulating Honourable Mbali Hlophe on being appointed as MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation in Gauteng Province. I have known and interacted with honourable Hlophe for many years during our much younger and youthful years and should she continue with her dedication to her work today like she had in those years as a youth and student activist, then I am sure she would do well in her role in government. 

However, Honourable Speaker, she is leading a department whose officials are at war with each other thus affecting service delivery. We have not forgotten that in all three financial years, the department has been underspending and it is generally known as “The Department of Under-spenders”. Former MEC Faith Mazibuko was acting out of desperation upon realising that money budgeted for the multipurpose sport centres (more commonly known as Combi Courts) would not be utilised within the financial year budgeted for. Therefore, triggering yet another year of underspending. 

 MEC Hlophe, you have a huge task to fix this department. 

The Budget in this financial year is now above a Billion Rand. The important question is whether will it used to shape and improve access to opportunities for the Citizens of Gauteng?

While we note the additional three million one hundred thousand allocated to GFC that seeks to support script writing and content development, we remain worried about the distribution of the work they do. Systems need to be in place where distributors in the industry find it conducive to operate in Gauteng and linking film makers to the world. Honourable Speaker, I remain worried by the fact that Gauteng Film Commission’s administration Support budget is over 55 percent of the total budget of the entire commission, while the actual industry support budget is just above half of administration costs. This, honourable speaker is not right. We should spend more money towards communities or industry support than spending more on internal administrative expenditures. We are here not to serve ourselves but to serve the people of Gauteng.

 I understand that the total staff component of the GFC is only 20 employees with additional few interns, almost everyone there is either a senior manager or a manager. This means over twenty million rand is being spend on salaries of 20 employees with additional other administrative costs, this leaves very little left for talent out there that needs our support and nurturing. This talent is now dry and out.

We further take note that the department fails in its infrastructural projects and blames the Department of Infrastructure Development. When are you going to sit with your counterpart in Infrastructure to find solutions to these pressing matters? Members of the community are waiting in anticipation year in year out only to be grossly disappointed by this ANC led administration who just keeps pointing fingers at each other while the Premier is watching. We will wait to see if the allocated three hundred and fifty-three million nine hundred and ninety thousand will be fully spent on the library and archives Services, we should not at the end of the financial year receive a report from the department saying “we have been failed by DID”.


Much needs to happen to get the department working excellently, meeting all your targets on the Annual Performance Plan and making a direct impact to the lives of Gauteng residents. What is puzzling me at the moment, which I hope to hear you MEC responding to is the Premier’s call to increase support to school sports as he announced in his State of the Province Address, yet you have tabled a reduction on the number of learners to participate in school sports programmes. Reduction from supporting 31 500 learners from the previous financial year to 18 500 learners. Is this the increase in support the Premier spoke off? This is misleading and until you align budgets to the needs of the communities, we will not support this budget. 

Unfortunately, the department fails to manage its Infrastructure budget, which has led to a backlog in the building and maintenance of sporting facilities such as HM Pitjie Stadium and Operation Mabaleng.

Sport remains a key pillar of society that gives hope to many young residents of Gauteng. For many it acts as an escape from societal ills faced by our youth such as crime and substance abuse. It is therefore imperative that we ensure our townships are resourced with facilities where Gauteng residents can have the opportunity partake in sports, access libraries and learn about their rich and diverse heritage. This can only be achieved if the department achieves all its annual target. 

I thank you and wish you all the best within your term as MEC, honourable Hlophe.

Thank You. 

ANC-led Gauteng administration’s lack of accountability and transparency destroys our freedom

by Lebo More MPL, DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Petitions

Whilst you and I can speak freely in these chambers protected by all its laws and privileges, we need to reflect on these freedoms that we have today.

What does freedom mean to South Africans outside these chambers?

Are Gauteng residents truly free to enjoy all the privileges of freedom that many of our elders fought for?

How can we truly be free when our people who have been on waiting lists for houses since 1994 are still residing in shacks with no real hope of ever receiving dignified housing? How can we be free when our people living in informal settlements don’t have access to basic services such as water, electricity and proper sanitation which are all rights enshrined in our Constitution?

How can we be free when our children are being abused by the very people who have the responsibility to protect them? When our children are being sexually abused by teachers in their schools?

Are we truly free when the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements and COGTA which is tasked with providing houses for our poor people, is under-spending on its allocated budget and is failing to reduce the housing backlog that has reached over a million in the province.

Madam Speaker,

All this indicates that we are not truly free and there is a long way to go before our people can declare that they are truly free.

How can we truly be free when law abiding citizens who are living below the breadlinego to bed hungry at night, while criminals are being fed KFC by an ANC-led MEC of this house.

What is more horrifying, Madam Speaker, is that this very prison which is meant to rehabilitate criminals was turned into a strip club for the entertainment of prisoners, courtesy of the ANC-led government.

To make matters worse, this government is responsible for the death of 144 mentally ill patients who were housed at Life Esidimeni. No one has, as yet, been jailed for this atrocious crime.

Madam Speaker,

For us to be truly free and enjoy the fruits of our democracy, we need an accountable and transparent Gauteng government that truly cares about the needs of our people and not about lining their own pockets for personal gain.

We need a government that respects the voices of our people, that is not corrupt and that is not a law unto itself.

Madam Speaker,

The only party that can bring CHANGE is the DA, we have proven this where we govern and we will continue to strive for excellence.

Only 6/82 petitions resolved in Gauteng in 5 years

by Lebo More MPL – DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Petitions

The DA is shocked to learn that out of 82 petitions submitted by the Gauteng residents to the Department of Human Settlements from the 2013/14 to the 2017/18 financial years, only 6 petitions have been resolved.

This was revealed by the Gauteng Human Settlements and COGTA MEC, Uhuru Moiloa in a written reply to questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.

The following table indicates the total number of petitions submitted to the department:

Financial Years Number of Petitions received
2013/14 28
2014/15 10
2015/16 18
2016/17 18
2017/18 8
Total 82

 

This turnaround rate is unacceptable as this department is failing to address the concerns of our Gauteng residents and undermines the rights of our people to petition the government.

The department is clearly not functioning properly and does not service the needs of our people.

The petitions are mostly about housing allocations, illegal sale of RDP houses, the 1996 waiting list, poor workmanship on RDP houses, basic services and unlawful evictions.

The fact that this department has failed to resolve these petitions indicates that the ANC-led Gauteng administration cares little about the welfare of our people as well as the desperate need for dignified housing.

It is this department’s mandate to ensure communities’ access to adequate services and quality houses.

The DA will hold MEC Moiloa to account to ensure that he resolves all the remaining 76 petitions as a matter of urgency.

Katlehong residents denied the right to register to vote for Total Change in 2019

by Lebo More MPL – DA Gauteng Constituency Head for Katlehong

The DA condemns the violence and intimidation against IEC presiding officers and residents that took place in Katlehong during the voter registration weekend.

Several roads were closed, cars damaged and two clinics were not able to operate due to a service delivery protest in the area over the installation of prepaid electricity meters.

This protest by the community once again shows that the ANC-led municipality cares little about the delivery of services to the residents of Ward 55.

Voting stations in Ncala, Ramokonopi, Mngadi, Radebe, Mokoena, Mnisi, Mofokeng, Sakhile and Mavimbela to name a few were forced to close due to violence. Thus, denying residents a chance to register to vote for Total Change in the 2019 general elections.

We cannot condone lawlessness and call on the South African Police Service (SAPS) to ensure that the rule of law is maintained in the area at all times, especially during voter registration weekends and election time.

The DA calls on the IEC to investigate this matter as several residents have been denied the right to register to vote and update their details on the voter’s roll.

Every citizen of voting age in this country has a right to register and vote in order to effect Total Change come 2019.

DA condemns Kathorus taxi violence, calls for the establishment of transport hub

The DA strongly condemns the ongoing taxi violence between Zonkizizwe Taxi Association (ZOTA) and Katlehong Peoples’ Taxi Association (KAPTA).

These two taxi associations based in Kathorus, Ekurhuleni are allegedly fighting over taxi routes.

This taxi war has left the community stranded unable to commute from Zonkizizwe to Katlehong and other nearby townships.

The school children who used taxis to commute to Katlehong from Zonkizizwe and some from Zonkizizwe to Katlehong have been left with no transport and now they are forced to walk to school.

Zonkizizwe is one of the underprivileged townships in Ekurhuleni with no shopping centres, malls and filling stations. The community is dependent in Katlehong for shopping, now they have to walk to Katlehong which is far to buy food and walk back again carrying heavy bags.

The road from Zonkizizwe to Katlehong is in a veld and it poses a safety risk to the community.

This war has also resulted in taxi members killing each other and crime is rife. 

The DA is calling upon the Ekurhuleni Mayor, Mzwandile Masina and Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport MEC, Ismail Vadi to intervene to ensure that they resolve this taxi war that is affecting the lives of the residents.

The City of Ekurhuleni should ensure that there are adequate means of public transport available for its residents by developing a transport hub.

By so doing it will stimulate the local economy by attracting more investors to this poor township.