Inner City Gazette

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Est 2009 Issue 45 - 2015

12 - 19 November 2015

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Task team to review inner-city evictions Residents attend evictions summit Johannesburg - The City of Joburg is to appoint a task team to look into various issues surrounding evictions in the inner city, with a view to finding an amicable solution to the problem.

This was announced by Mayor Parks Tau during an inner city evictions summit at Metro Centre in Braamfontein on Monday.The task team will include officials from four of the City’s departments; Housing, Development Planning, Health and Social Development and Revenue, as well as from the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JOSHCO) and the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA). There will be five community representatives in the team. Problems related to sectional

title housing schemes and related problems in Jeppestown and other areas will also be addressed. Mayor Tau ordered an audit of all inner city buildings to establish who owned them and how much they owed the City in rates and taxes.

The announcement followed a heated debate during which residents blamed foreigners and absentee white slumlords for their woes.

The more than 200 residents who packed the auditorium demanded that the Mayor declare a moratorium on evictions and accused certain officials in the Revenue Department of colluding with landlords to have them evicted after fraudulently selling the buildings.

Mayor Tau, Development Planning

Part of a recent eviction scene in the Joburg CBD.

MMC Roslyn Greeff and Councillor Phineas Madisha cautioned residents against pointing fingers at foreigners and white landlords. They instead, urged them to focus on finding solutions to the challenges in the City’s efforts to provide affordable accommodation. Those with information on collusion and corruption were urged to come forward.

Mayor Tau said the City is already working with the Hawks, the NPA and the SAPS to investigate some of the allegations. He urged residents who could afford to pay for services to do so to enable the City to help the poor “The City of Johannesburg provides housing options for all. That’s why we have to continuously update our poli-

cies to deal with the growing demand.

It’s not an unreasonable demand for people to want to own property and benefit from government schemes. But the flipside of this discussion is that those who can afford to pay should do so,” the Mayor said.

He added that the Prevention of Illegal Evictions Act, which obliged the city to find temporary accommodation for evictees, was creating problems.

MMC Greeff said the focus should be on building a vibrant, dynamic and integrated inner city.

Nombeko Monoali of Berea said the summit was “long overdue” and felt the City’s leaders had abandoned them. She slammed the police, property owners,

Sheriff of the Court and City officials for “being corrupt”. She said the Red Ants destroyed people’s property during evictions.

“There’s no justice for black people.

I’m in a wheelchair and spent nine days in jail. I’m appealing to the councillors.

People are suffering.”

Every month, the City of Joburg receives 300 eviction applications. At present more than 5 000 residents in the inner city and surrounding areas are facing evictions.

The Mayor also added that the City of Johannesburg has identified 1 000 buildings to be renovated and converted into temporary accommodation for evictees, as required by the law.

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Joburg Water MD Lungile Dlamini

City urges responsible water usage Water levels in the Vaal Dam have been dropping at an average of one percent a week, going down to 59 percent at the end of October Johannesburg - As the heat wave persists and dam levels continue to plummet as a result of the lack of rains, the City of Joburg has reiterated its plea to consumers to use water responsibly and sparingly.

Johannesburg Water’s Managing Director Lungile Dlamini has urged residents to refrain from watering their gardens between 6am and 6pm and filling their swimming pools as the drought continues to worsen.

Dlamini however insists that these are not water restrictions but “mitigating measures” against the drought. “Water restrictions are austerity measures implemented under extreme drought conditions. In such situations, water is made available at certain times, with total interruption on the balance of the day or week,” he says.

Rand Water, from which Johannesburg Water receives its bulk water supply, has predicted that dam levels could drop to as low as 29.7 percent by January 2016 should the situation not improve.

“We are closely monitoring the situation. If higher than normal temperatures persist and there is still no rainfall, we will, in consultation with both the Department of Water and Sanitation and Rand Water, announce austerity measures,” says Dlamini.

In the event of a strong El Nino worsening the drought, Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane might issue a directive by decree to impose complete water restrictions.

Since April 2015, sea surface temperatures (SST) have been increasing in the Pacific Region, which might affect normal rainfall patterns globally, with flooding in some parts.

Water levels in the Vaal Dam, which was 67 percent full in August, have been dropping at an average of one percent a week, going down to 59 percent at the end of October.

Dlamini says the current situation is being mitigated, to a certain extent, by the release of water from the Sterkfontein Dam. The City is in the process of tabling a revised by-law to restrict the watering of gardens to conserve water and manage demand in an already water-scarce city.

He says Johannesburg Water has, in partnership with the Borehole Water Association of Southern Africa, produced hydro-geological maps to promote responsible or registered borehole drilling. A public announcement on this will be made soon In addition, the entity will embark on a drive to attend to plumbing leaks at more than 500 schools in the city under the Jozi@Work Programme.

This initiative will be underpinned by an educational and awareness campaign, he adds.

“It must however be noted that these programmes are not necessarily reactive but are proactive. They have been in the pipeline for a while now,” says Dlamini.

Johannesburg Water supplies its 4.4 million customers with a total of 1 574 megalitres of potable drinking a day, using a network of 11 896km of water pipes, 122 reservoirs and water towers and 35 water pump stations placed in strategic positions throughout the city. On average, it supplies 1 880 litres of water per property per day, the Joburg Water MD explains.

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Tribute to fallen heroes Johannesburg - On Sunday Mayor Parks Tau led tributes in honour of South Africa’s fallen heroes and heroines during the National Civic Remembrance Sunday service and wreath-laying ceremony, attended by about 300 guests.

Before laying a wreath at the Cenotaph in front of Beyers Naude Square in the Joburg CBD, Mayor Tau paid tribute to Don Krause, one of the City’s oldest Holocaust survivors, along “all South Africans who made the supreme sacrifice for freedom, democracy, unification, nation building and peace”.

The ceremony also marked the 70th anniversary of the end of World War 2 and the Holocaust, which claimed the lives of more than 11 million people.

A total of 342 692 South African men and women of all races volunteered for service between September 1939 and September 1945. About 38 208 of them never made it back home, having paid the ultimate price.

Since 11 November 1918, when the Armistice ended all World War 1 hostilities, Remembrance Day ceremonies are held every year on the Sunday closest to the date.

In 1996 the City of Johannesburg re-dedicated the Cenotaph, situated between the Gauteng Legislature and Johannesburg Library, in memory of all those who died in defence of freedom and liberty, including those who were killed in the struggle against apartheid.

Mayor Tau said the dignity of black soldiers was restored in 1994 after decades of being “ignored and insulted with bicycle and coat gratuities”.

“The gallant deeds of our war heroes will always be remembered. Their names have pride of place at the Free-

dom Park Monument in Tshwane,” he said.

One of the presiding clergy, Rabbi Yossy Goldman, said he lost his grandparents, uncles and cousins during the Holocaust. “My 90-year-old dad was the only survivor of his family from Poland. There was ongoing trauma as thousands like him tried to regain their sanity and faith in God. I remember as a 12-year-old hearing my dad screaming in his bedroom. It was not smooth sailing,” said Rabbi Goldman.

Members of the SAPS Band, JMPD, Freedom Regiment of Johannesburg, Irish Regiment and the 21 SA Army Battalion marched around the square, followed by flag-carrying boy scouts, pathfinders and the girls’ brigade.

Joburg Mayor Parks Tau (centre) with guests during the National Civic Remembrance service.

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News Briefs from around SA

Children drown

in local dam

Bloemfontein - The bodies of two 11-yearold children have been recovered from a dam in the Free State, police reported on Monday.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Thabo Litabe said the bodies were retrieved from the dam in Meloding near Virginia by the Bloemfontein police’s diving unit at around midday on Sunday.

“Thomas Mbuyane and Puleng Agnes Motsoeneng from Meloding were playing with other children on Saturday when they decided to go for a swim in a dam between one of the old mines and Meloding township, where they drowned,” Litabe said.

Two inquest dockets were registered at Virginia police station for further investigation.

Police said it was envisaged that incidents of this nature were likely to continue due to the current heat wave, especially where “children are left alone, neglected or unsupervised”.

“Parents are warned to take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of their children at all times. Children should also be advised not to play around dams, water streams and rivers,” Sgt Litabe said. ANA

MEC Willies Mchunu

A crowd marches towards a targeted house in the area.

Pic: Mpumalanga News

Jerusalem - Local police are pleading with the community not to take the law into their own hands as this could interfere with the investigation of cases.

This concern surfaced when residents burnt a murder suspect’s house after a 28-year-old man was found dead with his eyes gouged out near Come Duze shop. Police say the victim and the suspect were earlier involved in a scuffle when he tried to intervene when the suspect was beating up his wife.

“According to a witness, the two had a fight and the victim was later found at the scene with a deep wound to the head and his eyes scraped out,” said Const Naniki Nonyane.

She added that the residents went to the suspect’s house where they claimed to have found eyes believed to be those of the victim. “Upon arrival, the angry mob set the suspect’s house alight when they couldn’t find him. He is still at large and we urge anyone with information to come forward.”

She emphasised that tampering with evidence was a criminal offence.

“In this case, if there was some evidence that could assist in apprehending the suspect, it was all destroyed when they burnt down the house,” Nonyane explained.

A murder case has been opened and the suspect is still at large. Mpumalanga News

Mthatha - The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has been offline for two weeks after thieves allegedly stole copper cables near their premises in Fort Gale suburb.

NPA regional spokesman Luxolo Tyali confirmed that the institution had been rendered “incommunicado” as its telephone lines had not been working for two weeks. “The person responsible for our maintenance told us that cables had been stolen It’s not the first time we found ourselves in such a situation.

The spokesman said the situation affected their operations as they dealt with many

people, some of who wanted to ask about the state of court cases. City bosses issued a plea to residents within King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality to stop buying stolen copper.

KSD Mayor Nonkoliso Ngqongwa has assured local business they were working to address power problems in the city.

Meanwhile OR Tambo District Chamber of Business president Vuyisile Ntlabati said cable theft could force a lot of local businesses to close or relocate.

In a statement Telkom said copper theft has becomea national problem. Daily Dispatch

Cable thieves keep NPA offline

Mayor Nonkoliso Ngqongwa

More killed in

Cops warn against mob justice hostel violence Durban - Two Glebelands hostel dwellers were shot dead at the weekend, while a third is fighting for his life at a local hospital.

The hostel’s ANC branch chairman Richard Mbona was shot at a shack just outside the hostel in Mlazi. On Saturday Danger Khuzwayo of Mkomaazi was shot in the head and a man from Bizana, Eastern Cape, who was on the same corridor was also shot in the head. Both men were rushed to hospital, but the Bizana man died.

Independent human rights activist Vanessa Burger said: “Under this climate of fear, no one is free, democracy is dead. The Freedom Charter may as well never have existed,” said Burger.”

Police spokesman Major Thulani Zwane, said he had heard that a man had been taken in for questioning.

Residents who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals said the police were “useless”, because they patrolled outside, sitting inside vehicles. “We want soldiers to come to our rescue.”

Community Safety and Liaison MEC Willies Mchunu said the killings were “totally abhorrent” and should be condemned by all. “We appeal to the hostel residents to observe restraint and let the police get to the bottom of this matter,” he said. Daily News

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Focus

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on

Africa

Jubilation marks end of Ebola

A cloud of smoke billows as a huge flame burns the bus.

The remains of the bus a short while later.

Freetown, Sierra Leone - Residents schools to close, overwhelmed have celebrated the end of an Ebola healthcare systems, and hurt the local economy. epidemic that has killed almost 4 000 people since last year.

Ebola has killed more than 11 300 people in SiAfter 42 days with no new cases, erra Leone, Liberia, and the nation’s epidemic was declared Guinea since the epidemic over on Saturday at a ceremony atwas announced in March tended by President Ernest Bai Koroma and WHO representa2014 and about 28 500 were infected, according to WHO tive Anders Nordstrom. data. Sierra Leone’s death Thousands of people toll was 3 955 people. Lidanced in the streets to mark the occasion. Earlier, beria was declared free President Ernest Koroma of Ebola on September thousands gathered over3, while a handful of cases night around the Cotton Tree, a massive tree in the centre of the capital remain in Guinea. for a candlelit vigil organised by women’s The 42-day countdown to be declared Ebogroups to pay tribute to health workers who la-free starts when the last patient tests negative a second time, normally after a 48-hour lost their lives. gap following their first negative test.

“They died so we could live,” university The country now enters a 90-day period student Fatmata told Reuters. Many of the 220 health workers who died were infected of surveillance concerning the disease, with due to inadequate protective equipment and support from the WHO, which said the training. Elsewhere in the city, residents cel- monitoring phase was critical to ensure early ebrated the end of the epidemic, which forced detection of any possible new cases. Reuters

Presidential poll campaigning begins

Bus burns to ashes in Hillbrow A bus belonging to the Mega Bus company caught fire and burned to ashes at 230 Smit Street in Hillbrow on Wednesday. The cause of the fire could not be immediately established, and no injuries had been reported at that time.

Ex-coup leader Gen Gilbert Diendere

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso - A presidential campaign has started, with the winner poised to re-establish democracy after the long rule of former soldier Blaise Compaore.

An attempted coup in September led by Compaore’s former presidential guard chief, Gen Gilbert Diendere, caused postponement of polls from October 11 until November 29. The coup was foiled by a popular uprising, much as street protests toppled Compaore himself at the end of October 2014, angry at his bid to change the constitution in order to extend his 27-year rule.

Diendere has been charged by a military court on 11 counts, including a “crime against humanity”, after clashes that claimed 14 lives and left 251 wounded.

The interim authorities headed by Michel Kafando have ruled that nobody who backed Compaore’s bid to keep power can stand for office.

Opposition leader Kiiza Besigye

Rivals approved for presidential polling

Kampala, Uganda - The electoral commission has approved leader Yoweri Museveni’s bid to extend his 30 years in office, starting campaigning for the presidential election due in early 2016.

The commission also approved Museveni’s ally-turned-rival Amama Mbabazi.

Museveni, 71, in power since 1986, is one of Africa’s longest-ruling leaders. His critics accuse him of wanting to be president for life and of grooming his son, army brigadier Kainerugaba Muhoozi, to succeed him, charges he denies.

Opposition leaders had planned to challenge Museveni as a coalition, but were unable to unite behind a single candidate.

“The reason I keep coming up is because I am able to do the work,” Museveni said, touting his role in leading Uganda to strong economic growth and political stability.

Mbabazi, who was sacked as prime minister in 2014, originally stood against Museveni for the nomination of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) but will now run on an independent ticket.

Long-time opposition figure Kizza Besigye has been nominated by the largest opposition party, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). Museveni has appeared keen to show his physical agility amid rumours of failing health. At a weekend NRM conference he ran from his seat to the podium.

The electoral commission said it would approve 10 presidential candidates, although the main contest is expected to be between Museveni, Mbabazi and Besigye. Reuters

Rape, robbery suspects held Staff Reporter

news@inner-city-gazette.co.za

On Monday Joburg Central police arrested a 25-yearold suspect for alleged rape at corner Plein and Klein streets, according to police.

Warrant Officer Xoli Mbele says the suspect allegedly raped a 50-year-old woman in her room. “The man is said to have said he loves the woman, then he went to her room and raped her.”

Warrant Officer Mbele says they also arrested a 23 -year-old suspect for armed robbery at the Metro mall Taxi rank. “It is alleged that suspect robbed a 33-year-old female at the taxi rank. He demanded her cellphone at knifepoint, took it and fled.

The victim screamed for help and community members came to her rescue; and police apprehended the suspect. The cellphone and two knives were recovered.”

Warrant Officer Mbele adds that detectives arrested a 40-year-old suspect for perjury at the Johannesburg Central police station when he opened a case of hijacking. “He told the police that two suspects hijacked him at corner Heidelberg and Mooi streets. CCTV cameras and the tracker record revealed that the vehicle never used that road. He gave police a different version and police arrested him for perjury.”

W/O Mbele warns that it is serious offence to open a false case. “After a preliminary investigation and there is evidence that you lied, a perjury case will be opened against you,” Mbele says.

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Bucs chase African glory

Pirates supporters hope their team wins the CAF Confederations Cup.

Soccer Correspondent

T

he Orlando Pirates team is determined to add to the club’s legacy of achievement in African competitions.

Coach Eric Tinkler’s side can complete a ‘trinity’ of CAF Champions League,

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CAF Super Cup and CAF Confederation Cup if they succeed against Etoile du Sahel in a two-legged final of the latter tournament this month.

The Tunisian side will face Bucs at Orlando Stadium in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup on Novem-

‘We are going into this match with a positive frame of mind because it is vitally important for us to win the home leg’ ber 21 before hosting the return leg on November 29 at Stade Olympique de Sousse. Tinkler said this is a massive opportunity for the club and everyone involved to win a major trophy such as the CAF Confederation Cup. “Naturally we would like nothing better than

to positively contribute to the legacy of the club. “We are going into this match with a positive frame of mind because it is important for us to win the home leg and ensure that we do not concede a goal in order to have something to protect for the second leg,” Tinkler said.

Runner Lebogang Phalula

Top honours for sisters in Grand Prix Athletics Correspondent

The Phalula sisters, Lebogang and Diana-Lebo, took top honours in the 2015 Spar Grand Prix, with Lebogang the runaway winner of the award, and her twin the runner-up.

Lebogang has had a spectacular year on the road, notching up victory after victory. She was the star performer in the Spar Women’s 10km Challenge Series, winning in Durban and Johannesburg, and finishing in the top three in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Pretoria. She accumulated an impressive total of 95 points to make sure that she walked away with the prize of R150 000.

Her twin, who won the title in 2014, finished in second position, with 75 points, for prize money of R50 000.

Diana-Lebo won the Grand Prix in 2014, and her sister made it clear then that she intended to win the title this year.

Lebogang was overjoyed at winning the prestigious Grand Prix title.

“I have had to work hard to get back to the top after being suspended for using a banned substance. I wanted to prove that I could do it, and that I wasn’t a cheat. Winning the Grand Prix means so much to me. My sister won it last year and I decided this year was going to be my year,” Lebogang said. supersport.com

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