EFF member of parliament Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi says the government must declare a state of emergency in Mamelodi.
This in order to combat crime perpetrated by a gang of extortionists in the township and also to fight against service delivery issues including water crisis.
Ndlozi said all this at the Mamelodi Vista Bus Terminal on Sunday while addressing a crowd of residents who are concerned about crime, water crisis and electricity in the Far East of Mamelodi.
“Why don’t they declare a state of emergency in Mamelodi and put the water crisis under the administration of the national government?
From there they must arrest extortionists who seek 30 percent shares from individuals and businesses in Mamelodi,” asked Ndlozi.
“Clinics under the EFF government will open for 24 hours, which means we will hire more doctors and security guards.
Our clinics will have nurses who do door to door visits to check on the elderly patients,” he said.
“The contractor who built the Matimba Flats in Extension 5 will be arrested, have his property and wealth repossessed and then be thrown in jail.
That would be a lesson to anyone who receives government’s money and doesn’t use it for the intended services,” said Ndlozi.
He insisted that lifts must be installed at Matimba Flats to make it easy for the elderly to access their housing units.
“And we must make sure that those lifts work all the time and there is no load shedding.
Lifts can’t work if there is load shedding,” explained Ndlozi.
“Just as much as the government makes sure that there is no load shedding in Parliament, the government must make sure there is no load shedding where the elderly live,” he said.
“Let’s give the EFF a chance.
It is our last and only hope,” said Ndlozi.
Phomolong resident Rianah Mehlape told the meeting that strangers have been encouraged to occupy her stand.
She also lamented the fact that she has no electricity and water in her stand.
Another resident Nthabiseng Phetla of Matimba Flats complained about the fact that her 56-year-old mother is forced to use stairs while carrying water buckets to her housing unit which is on the top floor.
Yet another resident revealed that there is lack of water in the area where he lives.
“I have to wake up at 1 or 2am to fetch water from a communal tap whose water comes out in drips and drabs,” he said.
Regarding those who may try to intimidate the EFF, Joburg MMC for public safety and EFF convener deployee Tshwane region in the party’s Dr Mgcini Tshwaku said the EFF has machine guns and will shoot back at whoever will provoke them.
Regarding the water crisis, Mgcini said the EFF knows that there are people who benefit from the tender that provides water tankers to the residents and that the EFF will sort out this issue immediately.