The City of Johannesburg is making progress in its fight against crime in efforts to create a safe environment for residents, said mayor Amos Masondo this weekend.
”Johannesburg is making significant progress in the battle against crime and to create a safe environment for its residents and visitors,” Masondo told a summit in Midrand, which was attended by business, labour and NGOs.
Masondo said that run-down buildings were likely to be associated with criminal activities.
”It is an established fact that crime and grime goes together. Run-down buildings tend to be closely associated with criminal activities.”
The city is thus focusing on urban renewal and poverty relief programmes.
Masondo said that real estate investors were showing ”a healthy appetite” for buildings in central Johannesburg, while new housing programmes, such as Brickfields and the Better Buildings Programme, were helping to create decent housing opportunities.
The mayor said that in the past year there had been a reduction in the city’s crime statistics.
”But we will continue to strengthen our law-enforcement capabilities and step up our efforts to protect the lives and property of the people of Johannesburg.”
Masondo said the Johannesburg metro police will train 500 new officers annually, increasing the total number of officers to 4 000 by 2011.
He said there would be a stronger emphasis on by-law enforcement and traffic policing. — Sapa