DA councillor defends himself against threats of misconduct
A Belhar ward councillor has kicked back at the National Coloured Congress's (NCC) call for him to be removed and investigated, alleging that he threatened a resident who was evicted from a premises at the Pentec Housing Project.
Instead, councillor Willie Jaftha said the calls to have him removed and investigated was a political attack from politicians who did not do their homework.
'I need to speak with the DA and the City on the way forward and respond to them," Jaftha said.
'She needs to apologise, I never spoke with her.
'I did go to the workplace to find out who she is.
"I went to her workplace because she was defaming me claiming I spoke with her.
'They were in that house illegally, there were no subsidies for them, it was not their homes.
'The City took them to court and there was a process.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
12 hours ago
- IOL News
DA councillor defends himself against threats of misconduct
A Belhar ward councillor has kicked back at the National Coloured Congress's (NCC) call for him to be removed and investigated, alleging that he threatened a resident who was evicted from a premises at the Pentec Housing Project. Instead, councillor Willie Jaftha said the calls to have him removed and investigated was a political attack from politicians who did not do their homework. 'I need to speak with the DA and the City on the way forward and respond to them," Jaftha said. 'She needs to apologise, I never spoke with her. 'I did go to the workplace to find out who she is. "I went to her workplace because she was defaming me claiming I spoke with her. 'They were in that house illegally, there were no subsidies for them, it was not their homes. 'The City took them to court and there was a process.
IOL News
5 days ago
- IOL News
City faces backlash over Ghost Town relocation plans
Residents are opposing the City's plan to expand the Ghost Town informal settlement located next to Maitland Cemetery, set to accommodate an additional 60 families relocating from Salt River. Image: Ian Landsberg The Ken-Fac Residents and Ratepayers Association are vehemently opposing the City of Cape Town's plan to expand the Ghost Town informal settlement at Gate 1 of the Maitland Cemetery, which is apparently set to accommodate an additional 60 families relocating from Salt River. Ward 56 councillor, Cheslyn Steenberg, has since publicly apologised for the decision, saying he did not properly consult with residents. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, together with Steenberg, is set to provide a live broadcast at 7pm today(wed) on Facebook regarding feedback on issues including the Ghost Town informal settlement saga, developments in Kensington and Maitland, and the Wingfield Refugee tent. In response to the opposition by the ratepayers, mayco member for Human Settlements, Carl Pophaim, said an "upgrade" of the informal settlement would be taking place, which would include relocation opportunities. 'The City seeks to undertake a formal upgrade project at what is known as the Ghost Town informal settlement,' he said. 'The settlement has existed for many years in an undignified condition. "Through this upgrade, formalised basic services and alternative building technology homes will be provided on a 1:1 basis. 'Surplus opportunities will be utilised for pressing relocation needs. 'The upgrade project will ensure a safe and well managed settlement taking all substantive comments raised into consideration as well.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Residents are opposing the City's plan to expand the Ghost Town informal settlement located next to Maitland Cemetery, set to accommodate an additional 60 families relocating from Salt River. Image: Ian Landsberg The residents claim there was a failure to consult or obtain consent from affected persons, property owners, and civic organisations. The association said property owners already had to cough-up towards the payment of informal settlements and that not discussing the plans with them was a slap in the face. It is understood the informal settlement, located next to the cemetery, is already home to 30 or so families while the community is also home to refugees and foreign nationals living in the so-called White Tent, located opposite the grave yard. 'Property owners have had absolutely no say yet 14 cents of every R1 in property rates paid to the City finances infrastructure projects with respect to informal settlement upgrades,' they said. 'We are deeply concerned by reports that more than 60 families currently residing in Salt River Bridge are to be relocated to the Gate 1 (Ghost Town) informal settlement site, currently home to over 30 families without any form of public engagement or transparency. "This plan is allegedly being framed as an 'upgrade', yet it does not address or prioritise the dire housing needs of unhoused individuals already within Ward 56. "The Ghost Town informal settlement, situated at Maitland Cemetery (Gate 1) along Voortrekker Road between 4th and 5th Avenues, has grown unchecked. 'The City's unilateral decision to further increase its population exacerbates existing service delivery, infrastructure, and safety concerns in our community.' 'During the Covid-19 pandemic, the City erected a large tent in Voortrekker Road, Wingfield, to house homeless refugees from the CBD. That 'temporary' structure remains, and two additional informal settlements have since emerged around it. 'Similarly, the 18th Avenue informal settlement now accommodates over 300 families, largely of former backyard dwellers from Factreton. "Several other settlements are inhabited by individuals from outside the community and even from outside the province. The unchecked growth of these settlements reflects the City's failure to deliver economic housing to those on its waiting lists,' they said. Their demands include: full transparency from the City; an immediate halt to all relocations into the area until proper community engagement and participatory planning is undertaken; a formal meeting with City leadership; and no informal settlements along the critical arterial Voortrekker Road. Steenberg told the Cape Argus he had commuted with Pophaim's office and apologised for his decision making and promised more transparency. 'I want to acknowledge the concerns and disappointment expressed by members of our community regarding the recent decision to accommodate squatters from Salt River. I understand that this decision was made without proper consultation with our community, and for that, I apologise,' he said.
Daily Maverick
13-06-2025
- Daily Maverick
Sasol report warns of ‘uncontrolled risk' to Joburg park gas pipeline
School learners and families are at risk as residents of a Homestead Park informal settlement light fires over a gas pipeline. The City of Johannesburg says eviction laws are delaying action. People living in shacks who are lighting fires daily over a gas pipeline, which is only 1.5 metres underground, are causing a huge potential safety risk for the inner-city suburb of Homestead Park. Yet the City of Johannesburg, despite having received a risk assessment report from Sasol, the owner of the pipeline, warning of the risks, is delaying the relocation of the land occupiers, saying it has to follow legal eviction procedures. The land occupiers have not only built shacks above the pipeline but are also digging pit latrines directly above it for their ablutions which, over and above the danger of hitting the pipe, could cause it to corrode through human waste, said Suhail Ahmed, the secretary of the Homestead Community Forum. 'We fear that with severe winter conditions setting in, the risks could be exacerbated as fires are being lit day and night. Already, in March, a fire spiralled out of control in one of the shacks and emergency services had to be brought in. This shows the limited safety behaviour and control exercised by these people,' he said. The City said it was aware of the risk but had to follow proper legal procedures to remove the occupiers, including finding alternative accommodation, which could take months, if not years. The issue was first reported in Sunday Times. Sasol's risk assessment says a school is located nearby and learners wait for transport adjacent to the property. Residents fear a repeat of the July 2023 explosion on Lilian Ngoyi Street (formerly Bree Street) in the Johannesburg CBD, caused by methane gas and which resulted in significant damage and one death. The investigation revealed that the methane gas resulted from underlying geological layers, and which escaped to the surface due to seismic activity. The City of Johannesburg delayed the repairs by awarding the R196-million contract to repair the busy street to a company that was facing fraud charges for allegedly defrauding City Power of R94-million. The contractor, Step Up Engineering, was later terminated for failing to meet contractual obligations and for the earlier fraud allegations. In May 2025, Joburg Mayor Dada Morero said the first phase of the rehabilitation work was scheduled for completion by the end of August. About 450 metres were affected and the road has been closed since July 2023. 'Families at risk' Sasol confirmed that it had performed and submitted a risk assessment to City officials. This was done in November last year and presented to City officials on 5 February 2025. On 4 March, a site inspection was done with Sasol, the City's disaster management unit and other officials. Nine shacks housing 15 people were found to be encroaching the pipeline servitude. 'Sasol takes this matter seriously and remains committed to ensuring the safety of communities and the integrity of its pipeline infrastructure,' said Sasol spokesperson Matebello Motloung. 'As part of efforts to maintain public safety, (we) continue to engage the office of the City of Johannesburg's municipal manager to discuss existing safety concerns posed by the… informal settlement and to explore mutually beneficial and sustainable solutions. '(We) do not have the legal authority to remove individuals or communities residing along the gas pipeline servitude. We rely on ongoing collaboration with relevant municipal and governmental authorities to address such matters in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.' He added that Sasol regularly conducted gas pipeline safety awareness campaigns in communities near pipelines. The risk report states that informal developments should not be closer than 25 metres from the pipeline and that those encroaching the pipeline 'place families at risk'. 'People living in unapproved structures will… dig pit latrines for toilet facilities. If… not correctly installed, human waste increases sulphur content in soil, which increases corrosion probability to steel structures, such as the gas pipeline.' It also states that the existing distances between the gas pipeline and the development are 'not acceptable and the informal residents must be removed due to undue and uncontrolled risk'. Sasol made a number of recommendations to address the risks. (Source: Sasol report) Egoli Gas said its responsibility for the gas pipe only started at Cottlesloe, not at Homestead Park. 'The responsibility for the integrity, safety and management of the pipeline and the land above it, including any risk posed by informal settlements, rests with Sasol as the pipeline owner, and with the City of Johannesburg as the custodian of land use and urban safety,' said the company in a statement. 'The gas pipeline supplies gas to our network via our manifold station at Cottesloe. This pipeline is a critical supply point for our network and enables the distribution of gas to our domestic, commercial, and industrial customers across Johannesburg. 'We are currently in discussions with Sasol on this matter and are committed to supporting efforts that lead to a safe and sustainable resolution. Egoli Gas' main point of concern relates to any damage or disruption to this line, as it would directly impact our ability to supply gas to customers across Johannesburg. The safety and security of this supply route is therefore of utmost importance.' City spokesperson Nthatisi Modingoane, replying to a query on whether emergency legislation existed in such a case, said: 'There is a commitment from the offices of the MMC for planning and public safety who are working with other key stakeholders from the departments of human settlements and social development to intervene and address the situation.' 'During the site visits, public education and awareness activities were conducted, so people are aware that they have to move,' he said. 'Home affairs conducted a socioeconomic assessment to determine how many people are residing there, their nationalities and status and whether there are vulnerable persons who may need to be taken to the shelter or place of safety. The Human Settlements Department and the Johannesburg Property Company are actively looking for alternate space. There is no time frame available, but home affairs will have to be part of the eviction process,' he said. 'Foot-and-mouth disease' Another concern in the area is a herd of cows that has been wandering through the streets for the past three years. After the recent blitz by City officials, residents have now been told that the animals have foot-and-mouth disease and cannot be moved until the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development conducts an inspection. Ahmed, however, said this could take months: 'While we appreciate the clearing of overgrown trees and grass and we realise there are processes to be followed, it is very frustrating for residents who have invested a lot of money into their properties watching the suburb decline daily. 'Already, a week after the cleaning, people are back there dumping and nothing has been done about the cows who walk in the streets right up to Brixton and Mayfair, endangering themselves and motorists. They are eating rotting food dumped on street corners. They defecate all over the streets and people's pristine pavements. Now they are telling us we again must wait.' The SPCA has visited often but says that only the Johannesburg Metro Police Department can remove them. SPAC Inspector Israel Lukheli said they had no knowledge of the foot-and-mouth disease issue. 'We have visited the site often, we even tried to herd the cows on foot to our nearby premises, but they started to run. We don't have the necessary resources or the authority to move them. We have offered to oversee and help the metro police move them, monitor the situation and ensure the conditions at the pound are safe for the animals,' he said. The Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development did not respond to a request for comment. Burning plastics Another problem Homestead Park residents are experiencing is that recyclers have started building shacks in their park where they burn unused plastics, leaving litter all over the park. 'City Parks said it had facilitated two multi-entity blitzes there and cleared the bushes and grass. They have further installed bollards at two access points at the park to prevent illegal vehicle entry, dumping and access by recyclers with trolleys,' said spokesperson Jenny Moodley. Regarding the shacks and their occupants, Moodley said they had to follow procedures. Park rangers, together with the metro police and other stakeholders, conducted random patrols and safety check operations across affected parks to ensure public health standards and protect the integrity of the City's green spaces, she added. DM
