By: ANG Reporter
City of Joburg member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for Roads and Transport Councillor Kenny Kunene has called on law enforcement agencies and communities to protect city employees who render services to communities.
Kunene was addressing community members and Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) employees in Eldorado Park, south of Joburg on Monday where his teams had descended to fix roads in the area.
Kunene said the programme is aimed at restoring dignity and to promote equal access to basic services and world-class road infrastructure for the residents of the City of Johannesburg. Work to be done on affected streets includes resurfacing, deep patching, potholes, clearing of blocked pipes, and road markings.
Some of the streets targeted are Sirkel, Robyn, Michigan, Fontein Street next to Eldorado Park Primary School, and Union Road. Kunene said the programme, dubbed #Operation Restore, will be rolled out to other parts of the City. Kunene, who was supported by all Patriotic Alliance (PA) councillors in Eldorado Park and a handful of party members, said there have been disturbing reports of city employees being attacked and robbed of valuables such as cellphones while doing their job in various townships and suburbs.
“There have also been a few instances where City of Joburg technicians have been shot and killed while doing their job. We cannot allow criminals to derail service delivery. We, therefore call on law-enforcement agencies and our communities to do everything in their power to protect city employees who render much-needed services to our people,” said Kunene.
He said where possible, residents should enforce citizens’ arrest of criminals targeting city employees and hand them over to the police.
