Premier Panyaza Lesufi was in the crime-ravaged suburb of Eldorado Park to meet with residents who say they have had enough and want the authorities to clean up the area.

Community leader Dereleen James said this was not a fight for Eldorado Park residents alone, but for the entire country. 

Kgotso Molaba said he felt the pain of Eldorado Park residents. A former addict, he said he’s been clean for seven years and feels the government needs to do much more to tackle the scourge of drugs.

He also said there were no support structures for families who have been affected by crime and drugs.

An unidentified speaker who introduced himself as a community activist, criticised the government for relocating drug addicts to a farm for six months in the hope that they would be rehabilitated.

Recently ousted Johannesburg mayor Dr Mpho Phalatse told those at the meeting that the City’s reach was limited, adding that challenges faced by residents required collaborative efforts from a number of government departments.

Phalatse was not the only official who failed to assure Eldorado Park residents that someone was listening to them, and convince them to end their sit-in at the local police station where they have been for over a month.

The Eldorado Park residents have been camping outside the police station in the name of a community movement they have dubbed #YesEldosAgain. They are protesting gun violence and other crimes in the area, and in recent weeks have sought the support of other communities with similar challenges, such as Ennerdale.

The Ntirhisano programme, led by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, engages with the community of Eldorado Park. (Photo: Supplied)

The Ntirhisano programme, led by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, engages with the community of Eldorado Park. (Photo: Supplied)

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Community organisations and various political parties, including the ANC and the PA, were also at the meeting held at the Evangelistic Outreach Ministries Church.

One of the issues that came up was the influx of foreign nationals into areas like Kliptown. 

Nomagugu, who said she was from Orlando East, told Lesufi that she has a problem with her son, who is addicted to drugs.

“He was arrested and a prison official called me and told me that he sells his food rations to buy drugs inside prison,” said Nomagugu.

She also complained about foreign nationals.

“We are under siege. Our economy is sitting in the hands of foreign nationals,” she said.

An elderly man who said he was from Motsoaledi told Lesufi the area lacked basic infrastructure and that gender-based violence was rife. 

“Our children and women are killed all the time, and we are told the Constitution cannot be changed,” he said, complaining that the area has no school or community hall.

Clifford Hlongwane from Kliptown told the premier and a number of his MECs that residents from his area were marginalised.

Hlongwane said the Kliptown police station was not helpful and the suburb was battling an influx of undocumented foreigners.

Other speakers felt parents were too soft on their children, saying gun violence, drugs and school violence thrived because children enjoyed too many rights. 

“We are too lenient with the young people, that’s why the children have no problem in stabbing their teachers,” said one speaker.

Lesufi promised the community that his government would deal with their challenges, with more focus on crime-fighting. He is expected to provide a written response to the community in 14 days.

He said that in an effort to keep the residents of Eldorado Park and other parts of Gauteng safe, CCTV cameras would be installed. 

“We will install these high-calibre CCTVs in the townships, in the informal settlements, and in the hostels and rural areas.”

He said a multipronged approach was needed to deal with the drug problem and that “every child that needs help, every child that needs rehabilitation, every child that is sick because of drugs … as the Gauteng government, we are making a call. Bring those children to us.”

Lesufi added: “For six months, we will take care of those children. By the time they come back, we can assure you they will have the necessary skills … they will have the necessary medication … but most importantly, they will be assigned jobs and responsibilities that will make them not want to go back to where they came from.” DM