Johannesburg streets were on Sunday lined with frenzied residents clamouring to see President Thabo Mbeki as he made his way through Hillbrow. Some cheered out of windows, others were perched on their balconies — waving and shouting to grab Mbeki’s attention — as he shook hands with ecstatic residents on the streets.
The president visited the Europa hotel, once a haven for criminals and prostitutes and now part of the City of Johannesburg’s Better Buildings programme.
Public Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi visited the hotel with the president and told the South African Press Association he had received an extended briefing on the progress made in rejuvenating the infamous building.
Europa resident Lebone Khothule said he had never seen Mbeki face-to-face and was quite surprised at his height.
”He’s too short.”
Khothule is part of a programme to assist boys in furthering their education.
As Mbeki walked through the streets under heavy police protection people screamed and ululated joyfully.
Outside the Gautrain Park Station portal the president was welcomed by a small crowd of people carrying posters which read ”Welcome to the inner city President Mbeki”.
They sang as Mbeki toured the site.
”My mother was a Christian girl, my father was a garden boy, that’s why I’m a president,” they sang.
They seemed slightly disappointed when Mbeki emerged from the construction site already in his vehicle and headed for the Metropolitan centre in Braamfontein.
Meanwhile, housing remained one of the biggest challenges facing Johannesburg, mayor Amos Masondo told Mbeki.
The mayor was presenting his State of the City report at the conclusion of the two-day Gauteng presidential imbizo.
”Speedy delivery of housing in Johannesburg remains a challenge … in sheer number terms, Mr President, we have an estimated backlog of 25 000 households living in informal settlements, a further 17 000 people in hostels … and an estimate of 100 000 living in backyard shacks and invaded buildings,” Masondo said.
The City is currently implementing a project aimed at people who applied for housing 10 years ago.
Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa said that poverty, underdevelopment, unemployment and social and economic exclusion remained key challenges in the province.
”We need to fast-track and think beyond the ordinary to address these challenges,” he said.
Reporting to the president on his province’s priority, Shilowa said the province would deliver at least 120 000 housing products including basic services, schools, clinics and recreation facilities.
Shilowa reiterated the importance of community participation in fighting crime and said the province would address the conditions that caused social crime against women, children and the vulnerable.
He added that beefing up vehicle registration and vehicle identity systems would help combat crime.
”We must take into account that more or less every second or third crime involves a car,” he said.
Shilowa said new systems would be put in place to read number plates and that the current Gauteng (GP) registration plate was set to change.
To which Mbeki quipped: ”There is a trademark on the name Thabo Mbeki … ” – Sapa