The City of Johannesburg’s Bomb Squad, together with the Regional Director for Citizen Relationship & Urban Management in Region F, Irene Mafune, officials from departments and entities and representatives from the Private Office of the Executive Mayor, recently conducted a successful High-Impact Service Delivery programme in Region F, Ward 67, Yeoville.
Teams attended to multiple excavations outside the Yeoville Clinic, followed by inspections at the Old South African Police Service (SAPS) building on the corner of Kenmere and Becker streets, which is currently invaded by homeless people before moving to inspect the clinic and the Yeoville Market.
This massive multi-disciplinary campaign addressed various service delivery concerns including unblocking of stormwater drains and kerb inlets, fixing leaking water valves, road resurfacing repairing potholes, street cleaning and skoffelling, repairing vandalised infrastructure, fixing streetlights, clearing of illegal dumping, disconnecting of illegal connections, hijacked buildings and sprucing up several litter hotspots.
The City power teams disconnected several illegal electricity connections along Hopkins and Hunter streets. At one property, where the owners refused entry, officials had to use a drone to inspect the premises and eventually climbed over the wall to access the property and open the heavy steel gates from the inside and disconnect the electricity supply. They successfully repaired about 10 streetlights on Cavendish Street.
A concerned resident on Hunter Road highlighted that non-functioning streetlights were contributing to high crime levels in the area. “We cannot walk safely at night. Often when we return from work in the dark, we are robbed,” she said.
Mafune said operations would continue in Ward 67 and across the inner city until order is restored. She noted ongoing challenges of homelessness, adding: “The Department of Social Development has programmes in place, but unfortunately many people return to the streets after being assisted and place in shelters”.
Vicky Manyathi, a member of the Bomb Squad, said the Executive Mayor, Cllr Dada Morero, will be advised to escalate the matter of the old SAPS building to the Minister of Public Works. “This building, once used by the police, has been invaded and is in a dilapidated state. Families with babies are living there under dangerous conditions with illegal electricity and water connections, right next to the current police station. This building must be demolished,” she stressed.
Manyathi also noted that a letter would be sent to the Minister of Home Affairs regarding the high number of undocumented immigrants in the area.
The High-Impact service delivery programme will continue in Ward 67 until Friday, 05 September 2025, with teams working tirelessly to resolve service delivery issues
ISSUED BY THE CITY OF JOHANNESBURG
