October 18, 2004
By Ndaba Dlamini
BRAVING the wet weather, Yeoville's assorted residents filled the Yeoville Community Centre to table their grievances to the mayor of Johannesburg, Amos Masondo, when he hosted a public meeting on Wednesday, 13 October.
More than 600 residents attended - a large number of them hawkers who ply their trade on Yeoville pavements.
Masondo said the purpose of the meeting was to sensitise Council about issues affecting Joburg residents. "This is also a platform for residents to engage with local government to get a better sense of how we operate."
The mayor went on to highlight problems faced by the City, problems which he said were also plaguing national government.
"Poverty and unemployment are issues which need immediate attention. The City is working together with national government to address unemployment and at the same time grow the economy. Alexandra is developing because of efforts by national government which have provided R1,3-billion to improve the lives of Alex residents," Masondo said.
Another challenge, Masondo said, was rapid urbanisation and migration, two factors which have contributed to an explosion in the population of Joburg. "People from all over South Africa and beyond have flocked to the city over the past years. Some of these migrants from abroad, both legal and illegal, have settled in Yeoville. We need to utilise this moment to engage with immigrants to iron out issues related to them."
Yeoville, part of flatland (the term given to the Hillbrow, Berea and Yeoville areas because of the plethora of high-rise flats), has, since the late 1990s, seen a huge increase in residents, a large number of whom are immigrants. Located next to Hillbrow and Berea, two inner city areas which have also been experiencing structural degeneration due to overcrowding and negligence, Yeoville is slowly being affected by the same symptoms as more people pour into Joburg, the "economic Mecca" of Africa.
Overcrowding and lack of accommodation has led to people illegally occupying flats, collecting water and using electricity illegally. "Most of these buildings harbour criminals and there is widespread substance abuse. Throwing litter from windows is also one of the biggest problems the City is encountering in Hillbrow. We want to build a world class African city by 2030 and this vision can only be achieved if standards in the city are not lowered," Masondo said.
Then it was time for residents to air their grievances.
Alex Ndlovu, a hawker plying his trade in the city centre, complained of harassment by metro police. Another hawker identified only as Joyce "who survives by selling vegetables on Yeoville streets" said metro police confiscated her merchandise every time she sold her wares on the streets. "I now owe the council thousands of rands in unpaid bills. I appeal to the mayor to let us trade without fear in Yeoville," she said.
A representative from the Traders Crisis Committee then presented a memorandum to Masondo. The memo demanded the mayor hold a policy dialogue meeting with hawkers, a meeting that was promised "a long time ago" by the mayor, they said.
The memo also downplayed the City's intention to build 1 000 stands in the inner city for 8 000 informal traders as "inadequate". The hawkers also demanded that stock seizures by the metro police be stopped immediately.
After handing over the memorandum all the informal traders left the meeting.
The City, Masondo said, was prepared to assist informal traders, but people should sell in designated areas only. "We cannot have a situation where people sell bananas and cabbages willy-nilly, even near robots. People say we achieved freedom but freedom does not mean you can do anything that is illegal."
Nombulelo Goqo, a community health member, called for the Yeoville Clinic to be open all week. "Yeoville clinic operates on certain days of the week only. The City should not regard Yeoville as suburb in the northern parts of the city. Yeoville has become an extension of Alexandra, it is now a township because of the large numbers of people who live here," said Goqo to applause.
Community activist Maurice Smithers urged the City to provide incentives to empower local black business. "Raleigh Street is an ideal place for black people to open up business. The City should provide incentives to empower black business in Yeoville."
Masondo observed that a city that does not have economic activity is a dead city. He said "much work needs to be done" to reverse the effects of urban decay. "The City, as a local government, cannot survive in isolation. We are committed to working together with various organs of society in addressing bread-and-butter issues."
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