Tshwane, Joburg leading safe cities while Ekurhuleni allows lawlessness

29 May 2017

I have been inundated with calls from Ekurhuleni residents, who day-in and day-out are negatively affected by lawless and dangerous traffic conditions, where private and public transport vehicles break the law in full view of Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) officers. These incidents have become a daily occurrence across the ANC-run metro, especially on the busy Pretoria Road in Benoni.

Despite complaints to the highest levels of the EMPD from residents and Democratic Alliance (DA) Public Representatives, this dangerous situation still continues unabated. In some instances, the EMPD have been party to the reckless and lawless behaviour. This is in stark contrast with the DA-led Tshwane and Johannesburg metros, which have implemented strategies to ensure the safety of commuters and residents in the respective metros.

In Tshwane, Mayor Solly Msimanga’s administration has responded to the concerns of residents who petitioned matters relating to road traffic safety and the visibility of the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD). Furthermore, the US Embassy has engaged with the Capital in order to facilitate the training of female TMPD officers, as well as consulting in terms of policing, policing management, policing strategies and leadership.

Mayor Herman Mashaba’s Johannesburg administration has committed to training an additional 1 500 Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers in order to ensure that the commuters and residents of the City of Gold are safe and the law is maintained.

While in the ANC-run Ekurhuleni Metro nothing is being done to ensure community safety, the DA-led metros of Tshwane and Johannesburg are taking deliberate steps to curb lawlessness, which puts lives in harm’s way.

The DA is working to ensure that community safety successes made in the Gauteng municipalities that we govern, will be implemented in 2019, when the people of Gauteng reject the uncaring and unresponsive ANC, and elect a government that cares, listens and responds.

Issued by Michele Clarke, DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Community Safety, 29 May 2017