The MEC for Local Government and Housing commends the people of Fine town who participated in a peaceful demonstration this morning. We want to assure you that both the City of Johannesburg and the province take serious issues contained in your memorandum. We will in good time, respond and indicate those issues we can attend to immediately and those that we can only do over time.
I wish to stress that no amount of violence will make a message more audible, instead it clouds the message and distracts our attention away from the message and only makes us view the violent actions more. With a peaceful protest as yours today all attention is given to what you raise in your memorandum and nothing else.
I am aware that your problems have dragged on for some time. You are part of the communities in the South of Johannesburg that need a joint effort of both your city and province in order to overcome your problems. Your problems range from sewer, storm water, electricity water, sanitation, roads and housing. In short you need a human settlement. Tall as the order is, let me assure you of government’s commitment to continuously seek solution to these problems until we overcome.
“We also witnessed community protests in Brazaville in Atteridgeville. The community leadership, our officials, councillors and political leadership in Tshwane are currently in a meeting. At 18h00 tonight they will feedback to the community about their discussions. Their grievances are about electricity and water at Brazaville informal settlement. We also commend the leadership that agreed to meet with government leadership,” said MEC Lekgoro.
For more information please contact:
Fred Mokoko
Cell: 082 447 8407
Tel: 011 355 4013
Issued by: Department of Local Government and Housing, Gauteng Provincial Government
11 March 2010
