Alex Shutdown Movement Planning Political-Driven Disruptions Tomorrow 

18 June 2019

The Alex Shutdown Movement has planned the next round of politically-driven disruptions tomorrow, 19 June 2019.

Following the recent protests in Alexandra in April 2019, there can be no doubt that the Alex Shutdown Movement was a politically sponsored vehicle, driven for the purposes of the General Elections.

The spectacle of ANC branded vehicles delivering tires around the City, and the revelation of the ring-leaders of this movement being linked to the Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP) contracts have made this very clear.

There must be no question, the people of Alexandra have very legitimate, long-standing and deep-seated grievances with how they have been treated. Their living conditions and lack of housing opportunities are a product of how funds intended for Alexandra have been pillaged with impunity for decades.

While the multi-party government believes fundamentally in the right to protest and raise grievances, the Alexandra Shutdown Movement must not be mistaken for anything other than a politically sponsored vehicle to protect the corrupt interests of those who have profited from the looting of the ARP.

It is not lost upon the residents of Alexandra that the very same politically-connected profiteers from the ARP are now being served by the Alexandra Shutdown Movement. This is why their demonstrations and marches have numbered very few people, and has included many ANC Councillors in Johannesburg.

In February 2019, the Johannesburg Development Agency gave notice that this contract would not be extended beyond June 2019, as the funding had ceased from Provincial Government.

It is therefore no coincidence that the directors of the Ditlodi Community Development Cooperative are the ring-leaders of the protests in Alexandra. The Directors of this company include none other than Sandile Mavundla, the ring-leader of the Alex Shutdown Movement and Tefo Raphadu, the ANC Ward Councillor.

In more recent times, the investigations by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the exposes of ENCA’s Checkpoint have resulted in brazen death threats being received. This only serves to demonstrate how powerful the political links are to the ARP looting that those involved are bold enough to send death threats to journalists and a Chapter 9 Institution like the SAHRC.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee, set up by President Ramaphosa to address the challenges in Alexandra, has only met once with the political leadership of the different spheres of government. My assertion to this lone meeting I attended was to insist that until finances are allocated to addressing the challenges, this body will not amount to anything more than another talk-shop.

While there is no question that the people of Alexandra live in appalling conditions, and that these conditions are, at least in part, a product of the rampant looting of the ARP, the multi-party government has worked to effect change in Alexandra. While what has been delivered is an improvement on the past, there still remains enormous challenges that are to be met in the demand for land and housing opportunities:

- In the 2018/19 financial year, R20 million was allocated for the refurbishment of the Helen Joseph Hostel and R15 million for the refurbishment of the Madala Hostel, both in Alexandra. Contractors have been appointed and engagements with the residents are underway.

- The opening of 2 new clinics in Alexandra (River Park and Thoko Mngoma) with a third to be opened in the coming weeks (4th Avenue);

- R45 million has been allocated for the building of the Banakekelen Clinic, Alexandra over the next 3 years.

- The extending of clinic operating hours at the River Park Clinic, Alexandra;

- The provision of substance abuse treatment facilities at the River Park Clinic, Alexandra;

- The City is in the process of training an additional 1500 JMPD officers. These officers, to be deployed in October this year, will improve by-law enforcement and visible policing.

- The City has developed an updated Illegal Dumping Strategy, with increased penalties for offenders, to be finalised by the end of the financial year.

- Through the 2018/19 Adjustments Budget the City made increased allocations to road resurfacing, water- and sewermains replacement, as well as for the electrification of informal settlements.

- Included in this was R20 million for the upgrade of the Vasco da Gama substation to normalise electricity supply in Alexandra.

- Pikitup is finalising the introduction of a second weekly refuse collection round in Alexandra. This is scheduled to begin this week.

- The City is on track to open the Alexandra Opportunity Centre before the end of the 2018/19 financial year. This facility will be used to provide a basket of services including skills development opportunities and SMME support to residents.

- The City will be completing the Alexandra Automotive Hub before the end of the financial year. R13.5 million was allocated in the Adjustments Budget to allow for this.

- The City will shortly commence a large-scale site and service project in Alexandra that will benefit thousands of residents in need of demarcated serviced stands.

Neither I nor any representative of the City of Johannesburg will engage the Alex Shutdown Movement tomorrow, as their interests are not those of the legitimate residents of Alexandra.

Our multi-party government is determined to deliver change in Alexandra and, throughout the City of Johannesburg to those forgotten by our predecessors. In light of the enormous backlogs inherited, this change cannot all be achieved, across the City, in the time we have been in office.

In spite of this, we will not tire in pursuit of delivering the change that has been sought by the majority of residents in August 2016. 

Issued by Herman Mashaba, Executive Mayor, City of Johannesburg, 18 June 2019