On Monday, City of Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba, finally faced the disgruntled Alexandra township after ignoring the community's calls to meet for close to a week. It turned out to be a tense engagement that did not last very long.
As reported by Times Live, the mayor's visit came after the dust had settled behind President Cyril Ramaphosa's parade on Thursday, where his authority in the province was questioned by the president.
Herman Mashaba heckled at Alex community meeting Ramaphosa had pleaded with the Alex community, to allow Mashaba, who at the time, had not shown up in seven days since the protests broke out, a chance to perform his duties.
Read DA's Alan Winde wants ANC removed from elections over Alex, N2 protests
The community had vowed to maintain order and allow Mashaba time but the results of Monday's engagement was nothing close to convivial.
Gathered at the Marlboro Community Centre in Alex, the mayor's attempts to engage with the community leadership, as part of the Integrated Development Plan, were trampled on by factions in the crowd who did not want to hear him speak.
This was also going to be Mashaba's platform to expose the names of the ANC officials he has accused of illegally benefitting from the R1-billion that was earmarked for the Alex Renewal Project.
This project was targeted at addressing most of the social issues that the township currently faces.
In 2001, several non-profit organisations collaborated with key figures in the private sector, as well as the government, to launch the project with the vision of changing the social and economical infrastructure of the township.
However, 18 years later, and the community is still up in arms about the lack of service delivery, appropriate housing and the huge influx of illegal informal housing structures.
ANC using poor people Mashaba After Monday's engagements fell through, the mayor accused the disruptors of being ANC cadres on a political agenda.
The ANC is using poor and vulnerable people, taking advantage of their plight, to protect the exposure of the Alexandra Renewal Project and the disappearance of the funds meant for the development of Alexandra, he wrote in a tweet.
Read Alexandra protests: ANC accused of using Bell Pottinger bots to stir up trouble
Since Monday's events, the mayor has been dealing with a lot of backlash from people who think that he had left the visit to the township too late.
But why, why now, leadership must learn to take community matters very serious. @HermanMashaba chose to walk his dog because it was a routine not to be missed, and the community meeting was long scheduled after dog walk. He must walk his dog in Alex, unless the dog likes Sandton
- Derick Thikithana (@derickshangwi) April 16, 2019 U failed dismally Mayor
1. U failed to attend community when they called u first time
2. Instead of going to Alex to adress community u go to Marlboro
U missed all opportunities u didn't act like a mayor FACT
- Willy Ledwaba (@FreeLefase) April 16, 2019 Tags: Democratic Alliance (DA)Herman MashabaJohannesburgprotestsSouth Africa
Africa Stories
28/06/2025
Johannesburg, 27 June 2025 - As the nation commemorates Youth Month
2025, the N...
24/06/2025
Panels of the National Film and Video Foundation in Accordance with the NFVF Act...
13/06/2025
Johannesburg, 12 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an a...
11/06/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa - 10 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundati...
10/06/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa - 10 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundati...
06/06/2025
S o Paulo Film and Audiovisual Company (Spcine) and the National Film and Video ...
05/06/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa 4 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundatio...
29/05/2025
Rest in Power, a True Legend of Our Screens
Johannesburg, South Africa 27 May...
29/05/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa 28 May 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Vincent Blennies, has resigned from...
22/05/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
13/05/2025
The NFVF, an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture that was create...
10/05/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
09/05/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
09/04/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
08/04/2025
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Vincent Blennies as Chief Exec...
04/04/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites final-year animation students to submit character designs inspired by lead characters from any South Afric...
14/03/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
01/03/2025
Antis pticos Orales: Revisi n De La Literatura Y Perspectiva Actual Influenza son contradictorios, dadas las elevadas tasas de curaci n espont nea. De ser neces...
28/02/2025
The Future of Green Energy: Challenges and Prospects Green energy, also known as renewable energy, has emerged as a critical solution to global energy challenge...
27/02/2025
Beginner Coding in Python: Building the Simplest AI Chat Companion Possible
AI-powered Personal VoiceBot for Language Learning by Gamze Zorlubas
You can ear...
24/12/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is calling for applications from South African film and television filmmakers to be part of the NFVF's delegat...
06/12/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the cl...
30/11/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
16/11/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation, an agency of the Department of Sport, Ar...
16/11/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites emerging female producers ...
16/11/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites current masters students t...
30/10/2024
Johannesburg, 26 October 2024 - The 18th Annual South African Film and Televisio...
30/10/2024
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND DOCUMENTARY
!Aitsa
Practitioner: Simon Kohler
Production House: MED CINE
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING DOCUMENTARY
Rise: The Si...
24/10/2024
In accordance with Section 6 (2) (c) of the National Film and Video Foundation A...
19/10/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites postgraduate students to s...
15/10/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (herein referred to as NFVF) is a statutory body set up by the government to grow and develop the South African Film and ...
11/10/2024
10 October 2024 Johannesburg, South Africa - The National Film and Video Found...
09/10/2024
Sportel stand number: Ravel Hall G06/07 After a summer filled with intense sport emotions in Paris, France and beyond, Globecast will be happy to welcome you...
04/10/2024
SAFTAs 18 Announces Date and Theme: Honouring Excellence in South African Film and Television with the theme Back to Basics . Johannesburg, South Africa Wedn...
04/10/2024
Johannesburg, South Africa Wednesday, 2 October 2024 The South African Film ...
01/10/2024
Johannesburg, South Africa - Monday, 30 September 2024 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (...
24/09/2024
Every little girl out there who has felt different because they are not what soc...
09/09/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (herein referred to as NFVF) is a statutory body set up by the government to grow and develop the South African Film and ...
06/09/2024
Johannesburg, 05 September 2024 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF),...
09/08/2024
Johannesburg, 8 August 2024 - It is with profound sadness that the National Film...
01/08/2024
Globecast to Showcase the Broadcast Industry's Most Advanced Connectivity and Hybrid Cloud Solutions at IBC 2024
PARIS, 1 August 2024 Globecast, the lead...
16/07/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
13/07/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
09/07/2024
The NFVF, an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture that is created...
02/07/2024
Arabsat, ASBU and Globecast are commemorating 20 years with a renewed multi-year deal for Global Arabic Bouquet (GAB) services, providing a wide range of DTH di...
11/06/2024
Tuesday 11 June 2024, Johannesburg. The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF...
31/05/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), the custodians of the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), has learned of the allegations of ill-tr...
22/05/2024
Judge blocks auction of Elvis Presley's Graceland estateA judge in Tennessee has temporarily halted a foreclosure sale of Graceland, the historic home of El...
On Monday, City of Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba, finally faced the disgruntled Alexandra township after ignoring the community's calls to meet for close to a week. It turned out to be a tense engagement that did not last very long.
