By Michael Tsingo
In a day-long road show covering Joburg's southernmost region, executive mayor Amos Masondo discussed a wide range of issues with residents – from housing projects and clinics to refuse collection and the environment.
Children in Thulamtwana, Orange Farm, burst into song when Johannesburg's executive mayor Amos Masondo arrived on his road show of the region.
The children sang that they had only seen the mayor on television, and were pleased to see him in the flesh now.
Personal messages were the order of the day, as Masondo, several mayoral committee members and City officials visited the southernmost region of Johannesburg on 18 August.
The mayoral entourage took in various stops on the way – from Weilers Farm to Thulamtwana, from Lawley to Ennerdale and Lehae.
At every stop he called for community participation: "The community must work together with the government."
Among the messages he delivered were for people to register for housing projects, to comply with plans designating roads and sewer lines, and to use legal dumping sites.
Communities were also informed about what was being done in their region by the local government and various partners.
In Weilers Farm, Masondo handed out certificates to 25 Austrian students who built a crèche as part of their studies at Graz University. Thanking the students for their efforts, the mayor said, "Here is something to emulate."
"In the south that is characterised by dust, lack of green and poverty, how do we get our students to reflect the good? The more the people get educated the more they know less and less about reality."
The Austrians raised R300 000 to cover building costs. They are now working on similar projects at five sites in the region and other German and Austrian universities are planning similar initiatives.
The crèche also received toys and books.
At Mountain View clinic, residents carrying placards calling for land met the City's team.
The mayor's entourage was to inspect construction work being done on the local clinic, which is almost complete.
The clinic, which has a natural bush surround, lies at the foot of a slope and for about 300 metres from the clinic, shacks ascend into the low grey mountain ridge. Plans to formalise the township are at the demarcating stage.
The enlarged clinic means that from next year Orange Farm residents will not have to travel to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital for treatments like x-rays.
The enlarged clinic currently offers voluntary counselling and testing for HIV/Aids, and plans to offer a 24-hour emergency service by next year.
Five minutes from the clinic, Masondo cut a ribbon to officially launch an Emergency Management Service BeSafe Centre. Using the theme "safety is our responsibility", Masondo said, "Issues of safety are issues that are very important. We have lost potential leaders of tomorrow all because safety is taken for granted."
While the centre looks like any fire station around Joburg, it offers training in several specialist services ranging from small fire management, water (storm and drowning) management, and first aid to help managing drug abuse and HIV. Community members will be selected and trained in the various skills with some members being included in a neighbourhood fire fighting team.
At Lawley, Masondo spoke about gender equality and women emancipation and referred to the Women's Build project, which saw houses being built in the township. "Gender equality and women emancipation is a matter that is at the centre of our democracy."
From Lawley, the delegation drove to Hiltonia Resort – an under-used Council facility – which dazzled them with its beauty.
Other under-utilised properties included council houses and an industrial site at the Villa of Hope and Ennerdale respectively. Masondo proposed that these properties be turned into functional facilities as a matter of urgency.
The day finished at Lehae where Masondo officially switched on power to newly built houses and handed over keys to selected beneficiaries.
Thandiwe Tsholoba, 34, an unemployed mother of two young children, formerly lived in a shack in Eikenhof and had given up dreaming of owning a house. "I was registered in 2001 and I had lost hope, but today I am happy that I got the house."
Masondo also stressed the importance of good environment management. To this effect, 240-litre plastic bins were handed over to selected households in Lehae.
A tree planted by the mayor is now growing in front of Tsholoba's house.
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