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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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#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.

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Joburg Budget: Unemployment Is A Scar On Tau’s Record

ANC Election Campaign Speech

The Budget tabled by Johannesburg MayCo Member for Finance Geoffrey Makhubu today failed to address the jobs crisis in Johannesburg.

Instead of an honest assessment of the jobs crisis, we heard a self-congratulatory speech focused on painting the ANC in a positive light.

This was an ANC election campaign speech, not a frank assessment of the challenges our people face.

There was no acknowledgement of the 869 000 unemployed residents in Johannesburg — 66 000 of whom joined the ranks of the unemployed in the first quarter of 2016.

Unemployment is a scar on Mayor Tau’s record. In failing to create jobs, he has failed the people of Johannesburg. History will judge him and the ANC government harshly.

I will create thousands of jobs

On my campaign throughout this great city, I have seen despair winning out over hope.

I have seen unemployed people using the filthiest pit toilets, I have seen raw sewage flowing in the streets and rubbish piled high on the pavements.

I have seen young people addicted to nyaope everywhere I go. With every job lost, we lose another young person to this terrible drug that is destroying families all over the city.

In the last four months, I have uncovered human rights violations in the communities of Zandspruit, Noordgesig, Alexandra, Kwamai-Mai and Kliptown. The Human Rights Commission has agreed to investigate all of these cases.

I am running for Mayor of Johannesburg because I want to create opportunities for young people to get jobs and make a better life for themselves.

By assisting entrepreneurs to start businesses, helping job seekers to find work, cutting wasteful expenditure, and improving service delivery, I will create thousands of jobs to restore the hope of those who have been left behind.

 

Media enquiries:

Nkele Molapo

Media officer

072 041 4842

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Joburg Mayor Ditches Zandspruit Residents

Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau

The DA is deeply concerned about Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau’s deafening silence on the plight of Zandspruit residents.

Yesterday residents marched peacefully to hand over a memorandum of concerns to the mayor, only to be told that he is too busy to attend.

Why would mayor Tau not take Zandspruit’s people and their concerns seriously?

A few weeks ago, I went to Zandspruit to meet with residents and engage them on their concerns, and was heartbroken to see the living conditions of these residents, 22 years into democracy.

Human Rights Commission

Electricity remains a major concern, with countless deaths caused due to illegal connections. Instead of providing electricity, the city allowed Eskom to switch off all power to the entire community.

I laid a complaint with the Human Rights Commission over this matter, who have agreed to investigate in the meantime.

Mayor Tau’s callous response stands in stark contrast to the DA’s caring approach where we govern.

In Cape Town this past week, when protestors took to the street in Dunoon, Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille immediately stepped in, held an urgent engagement with Dunoon community leaders, and took their concerns to be handled by the Mayor’s Office.

Change is Coming

Yet in Johannesburg, Mayor Tau’s blatant disrespect for the people of Zandspruit shows just how the ANC government only cares for the select few.

The DA has a track record of clean governance and better service delivery where it governs.

Where the DA governs, we offer the most comprehensive basket of free basic services to the poorest communities, to uplift communities and to improve lives.

Change is coming to Johannesburg, just as it’s sweeping across the rest of South Africa.

Because where the DA governs, life is better.

 

Media enquiries:

Willie Venter for Herman Mashaba

Director: Communications and Research

060 963 8260

[Image source]

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Joburg human rights abuses: HRC agrees to investigate

Democratic Alliance statement by

Herman Mashaba

DA Mayoral Candidate for Johannesburg

 

Joburg human rights abuses: HRC agrees to investigate

The DA is delighted at the Human Rights Commission’s decision to investigate the City of Johannesburg for rights abuses across the city.

This follows the DA’s complaint lodged in late March regarding living conditions in, among others, Zandspruit, KwaMaiMai, and hostels in Alexandra.

The complaint was sought to hold Mayor Parks Tau and his administration, who have for too long ignored the plight of Joburg’s poorest and most vulnerable, to account.

In the upcoming local government election people hold the power to vote for change, and have the choice to vote in a DA-led city government.

A DA government in Johannesburg will deliver functioning sewerage infrastructure, running water and electricity, and spend more public money on providing services to our poorest communities.

The DA will bring change to Johannesburg just as we have done where we already govern.

Change is coming to Johannesburg, because where the DA governs, life is better.

 

Media enquiries:

Willie Venter

Director: Communications and research

060 963 8260

photo credit:  http://www.sahrc.org.za/

 

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Zandspruit protests are fuelled by the desperate need for electricity

Following violent protests in Zandpsruit this morning, the DA will submit further questions to Johannesburg MMC of Environment and Infrastructure services, Matshidiso Mfikoe to provide clarity on the City’s plan to electrify this impoverished community.

Residents of Zandspruit took to the streets to express their unhappiness after their illegal electricity connections were cut.

The DA does not condone illegal connections and violent protest, but we understand residents’ frustrations at the city’s reluctance to formalise the settlement.

Residents say that they have been waiting for 22 years for the city to act and are now losing patience.

Last week residents started peaceful protests after Eskom, City Power, JMPD and the SAPS conducted a joint operation to remove illegal connections. A few hours later people reconnected their homes illegally.

This week,  Eskom and City Power switched off the entire area, negatively affecting those who are legally connected and as a result, caused today’s protests.

Economic Freedom will remain a pipe dream without access to basic services such as electricity. In order for them to lift themselves out of poverty, young and old need access to electricity.

It is clear that the City of Johannesburg has failed to provide legal electricity to Zandspruit residents. In this year’s local elections, people will have the opportunity to vote for a caring DA government, which has a track record of providing the best basket of services to the poor.

Media enquiries

Councillor Funzi Ngobeni
PR Councillor for ward 100 & 114 in the City of Johannesburg

072 366 8404

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