Programme Director and Region F Director, Ms Irene Mafune

Fellow Members of the Mayoral Committee

Ward Councillors, Mr Themba Mkhize and Mr Nkosikhona Khanyile

City of Johannesburg and Municipal Entity Officials

Colleagues from the South African Police Service

Members of the community and stakeholders

Allow me to begin wishing Joburg’s number 1 resident, Executive Mayor Mpho Phalatse a speedy recovery as she rests and recovers from a bout of flu. 

It is a privilege to stand-in for the ‘EM’ to rollout A Re Sebetseng – the flagship Mayoral Campaign for a cleaner and safer Joburg – in Region F.

It is no mistake that we are in Region F, which incorporates the Inner City and surrounding suburbs. The decay of the Inner City is well documented, and in fact an embarrassing blight on our City, which we are working to transform into a City of Golden Opportunities.

As the Multi-Party Government, we are not sitting on our hands, we are proactively working with all Departments, Entities, Inner City stakeholders and spheres of Government to give the inner city back its golden shine.

We want the Joburg CBD to be the work, play and living hub of the City.

The Inner City must be safe, clean, and inclusive so that whoever you are, you are able to take advantage of the opportunities Joburg has to offer. We need to make every corner of Joburg a place where residents have all the amenities they need to live a quality life, with access to housing and job opportunities.

As part of the City’s 2022/23 R77,3-billion budget, which takes effect on 1 July 2022, the Joburg Multi-Party Government has allocated over R 800-million for capital projects in the Region. This investment into the Joburg CBD will surpass R1-billion during the 2024/25 financial year.

The investment includes the upgrading of the Bertrams Skills Centre into a gold-standard Multi-Purpose Centre that will incorporate an urban farming facility and nutrition garden; baking and sewing resources for co-operatives; an early childhood development (ECD) centre; a computer lab, library, and afterschool facility; and an elderly day care centre to name but a few.

Just a few weeks ago the Department of Housing began the work of turning Kaserne building into a 1,500-unit mixed housing development that will bring poor and working-class residents closer to opportunities.

The Informal Trading Policy will see an investment of R50-million over the next three financial years, to ensure that an important stakeholder in the economy of the CBD has the right infrastructure and support from the City.

Programme Director,

Today is a show of force by the Joburg Multi-Party; we are sending the message that we mean business in the Inner City. With the community, we are restoring the rule law and upholding our responsibility to deliver services.

Over the course of today and the next couple of weeks service delivery teams will be addressing backlogs and upgrading infrastructure.

We will see JMPD and SAPS collaborating to prevent and combat crimes like cable theft and the sale of illegal.

Our Environmental Health Inspectors will be out about ensuring the markets and shops around the CBD sell goods that will not make customers ill.

The Department of Development Planning will crack down on illegal structures and other building violations.

The Johannesburg Roads Agency will attend to the resurfacing of roads, potholes and general roads infrastructure.

Joburg Water will ensure that the important resource is not wasted by fixing leaking taps, and replacing broken and faulty metres. 

The Group Forensic and Investigation Service will conduct further investigations on problem properties, with the intention of returning the property to its rightful owner. 

Teams from the Department of Social Development will also be inspecting early childhood development centres, distribute subsistence packages, and go as far as conducting GBV awareness and women empowerment programmes at the George Goch Hostel.

Programme Director,

The point of today is about promoting the Joburg Multi-Party Government’s service delivery programme of action for Joburg but more specifically today, the Inner City, which over time will become cleaner and safer.

A Re Sebetseng! Let us work together – residents and the City – towards realising a City of Golden Opportunities!