Criminals milk backroom business in Cosmo

COSMO CITY – Police face several challenges as crime increases in Cosmo City

Honeydew police spokesperson, Captain Balan Muthan

The lucrative ‘backroom business’ in Cosmo City have resulted in a hike in house break-ins and robberies within the area.

According to Honeydew police, residents have failed to assist law enforcement officers with information regarding criminal acts, thus aggravating the crime situation in the community.

Honeydew Police Station, spokesperson Captain Balan Muthan said due to the dramatic increase of additional backrooms in Cosmo City, it has brought with it higher numbers of people, domestic violence cases have risen, together with additional criminal activities, as well as illegal shebeens.

“We get about three housebreaking and robbery cases in a week, and if the perpetrators break into one backroom, it is more likely that they break into the rest of the rooms in the same compound,” said Muthan.

However, despite the escalating number of complaints, several cases remain unresolved because people are afraid of providing information to the police. “The community likes to complain about crime yet fail to come forward with information,” said Muthan.

He added that police are at a disadvantage when conducting night patrols owing to inadequate lighting in the suburb. “Street lights are hardly functioning in Cosmo City which makes it hard for police to do their job. We need the relevant electricity department to rectify the lighting problem.”

Muthan has urged the community to be vigilant and to get more involved and start providing crucial information to assist the police in solving cases that usually are unresolved.

“Residents are scared to report these people. I urge them to come report anonymously. There also are two police vans patrolling each sector to help them at any time.”

Cosmo City #AbuseMustFall Peace Walk

The National Children Violence Trust (NCVT) hosted a Peace Walk to educate children about the dangers of abuse and violence.

#AbuseMustFall Peace Walk held by the NCVT to empower and educate women and children regarding abuse in their community. 

“In areas like Cosmo City and Diepsloot, we find a lot of abuse and violence taking place. Poverty and inequality help to amplify it, but education can go a long way in preventing these situations,” said Mpumi Mndaweni, senior social worker at NCVT.

“For this reason, the peace walks in Cosmo City and Diepsloot were not single events by themselves, they were built on a foundation of the discussions that we had with the youth, beforehand.

“The walks were intended to cause a stir in the community and create dialogue among the young people. Also, the memorandum that we handed over to the respective police stations were aimed at addressing some of the issues that we encounter with the treatment of victims when they report to the community police.

The Diepsloot Police Station accompanied the children during their Peace Walk to ensure safety.

“It is important for young people to know that they have a voice and that they can help to address the challenges in the community in a peaceful, yet firm way.”

    Mndaweni added that the children will never forget this experience. Those who did not know much about abuse, or even what it meant, know about it now. They, and the community members who came out of their houses to watch the march, now know what it looks like and how to handle it.

For each individual child involved, the peace walk caused a shift in thinking that will help to eradicate violence and abuse in the long term.

Every little bit that the community can do to enhance the knowledge of young people regarding abuse and violence is needed so that violence can cease in our neighborhoods, concluded Mndaweni.

Tips to survive this Festive Season!

The holiday season is just around the corner. While for some this is the time to pause and relax, for others, the festive season can bring a lot of stress especially if you planning that holiday away from home.

Many of us also tend to over indulge this time of the year and it can thus be easy to get into debt and financial stress. We also worry about our safety and security this time of the year due to an increased risk at malls, beaches and on the road. So how do you make sure you survive all the frenzy?

Here are a few safety tips to guide you:

 

Be vigilant

When it comes to your safety and that of your loved ones, the South African Police Service suggests that you be vigilant at all times.

When going shopping, never carry large amount of cash but can instead use bank cards credit cards or electronic funds transfer to make transactions.
Ensure that your vehicles are properly locked.
When withdrawing cash at the ATM, do not allow yourself to be assisted by strangers. Only seek help from bank officials.
At public places like malls and beaches, do not leave your children unattended

On the road

Like all holiday seasons, there is an increased risk of accidents on the roads during December. According to the Department of Transport, the majority of accidents are due to human error. Most of these accidents can be avoided if you follow the following tips:

Undertake a pre-trip inspection of the vehicle before you embark on a journey
Check your vehicle roadworthiness before taking a journey
Do not drink alcohol irresponsibly. It reduces your driving ability and you will be arrested for drunken driving.
Texting or making a call while driving is extremely dangerous – cell phones cause visual, manual and mental distraction. Stay away from your phone while driving.
Always wear your seatbelt, it can save your life in an event of an accident.
If you travelling long distances by road, make regular stops of about 20 minutes. Grab a sandwich and stretch your legs before you resume your trip.

 

Leaving home unattended

Going on holiday can be exciting especially if you taking your whole family with you. But leaving your home unattended for longer periods may attract criminals. You don’t want to return home from a lovely holiday only to discover that all your valuables are gone!

Arrange that the premises be guarded by a registered security company.
Notify the security company of your period of absence so that they can intensify the patrols
Ensure that your premises are properly locked before leaving.
Arrange where possible a relative or friend to look after your premises during period of absence.
Lock away valuable items in safes or store rooms.
Ensure that your post is not pilling up in a post box which may alert the possible criminals of absence. You can arrange with post office not to deliver post during period of absence.
Do not leave gates or garage doors opened during period of absence.
Install proper security gates to deny criminals easy access to your premises.
Install proper alarm system that will notify the security company of unauthorized access to your premises.
Arrange with a relative or friend to always come to switch lights on because dark premises also attract criminal activity especially if left for a longer period of time.
Arrange for garden services to continue because tall grass can be a hint to criminals that the premises are unattended.
 

 Safety of children at swimming pools and beaches

The number of children who drown usually increases during the festive season. The chaos can destruct us and end up losing sight of the children. Always ensure the safety of your children by following these simple tips:

Children must not be left unattended at swimming pools or beaches
Parents must not indulge in excessive alcohol when with their children at swimming pools or beaches.
Children must be accompanied by adults when in vicinity of swimming pools or beaches.
Children must be equipped with necessary safety equipment when next to swimming pools or beaches.
Avoid loud music next to swimming pools because it can distract or prevent victims when requesting assistance.
Where possible children must undergo swimming lessons.
When swimming pools are not in use they must be properly secured to deny children access.
Adults must not drink and ride their boats at dams because it is unlawful.

 And finally, do not overspend

We all want to have a good time during this period of the year. We shower each other with gifts and spend our hard earned bonuses spoiling ourselves. But remember it’s easy to get into financial stress if you over spend. Remember, December is just another month, there is January coming and school fees. Set a budget and stick to it!

Gospel singer Sfiso Ncwane has died

 Gospel singer Sfiso Ncwane dies in Johannesburg on Monday (morning) 5 December 2016.

A family spokesperson confirmed to a source of Cosmo City Tabloids that Sfiso had been rushed to hospital on Sunday night.

"His wife called the paramedics. He was feeling weak and he was admitted to hospital at 7.30pm," said Sipho Makhabane.

The gospel star died less than 24 hours later.

    Sfiso Ncwane had 'kidney failure' - family spokesperson

"His family [is travelling] from KwaZulu-Natal to Joburg at the moment. Everyone is in shock," Makhabane said.

Ncwane produced award-winning hits including Phakama Nkosi yeZulu and Kulungile Baba. He won record of the year at the 2013 South African Music Awards.

The singer made headlines last year after he bought his pastor a R1.9-million Mercedes-Benz.

The Kulungile Baba hitmaker said Pastor Anosike had "saved his life through prayer" and he felt he had to repay him.

    Sfiso Ncwane pokes fun at 'Nyatsi' drama

It was later reported that he was struggling to make the payments.

Reports of the singer's death hit social media after Twitter user Mmatona Ntuane broke the news. Her social media profiles say she works for the KwaZulu-Natal department of health.

Water crisis concerns Cosmo City residents

Joburg Water spokesperson said they were exhausting all available resources to complete repairs.

Cosmo City Extension 2 resident, Susan Makhura is happy to have water again 

Cosmo City residents in Johannesburg are furious after spending days without water since last week Friday.

Taps ran dry in parts of extensions 0, 2, 5 and 6, causing major frustration for ratepayers who put the blame on Johannesburg Water for dragging their feet in resolving the crisis.

Angry Extension 5 residents, John Pretorius and Leslie Wallace, said they had to use money out of their own pockets to buy water in order to sustain themselves over the weekend.

“I had to buy five-litre containers of water which amounted to about R400,” said Wallace.

Wallace said attempts to get answers from Johannesburg Water provided no concrete information as to the restoration process.

“When I phoned the Johannesburg Water office on Friday, they said they were restoring a valve. On Saturday, I phoned again, and they said the reservoir was low. I ended up not knowing what to believe.”

Pretorius, who also spent about R300 on water, said Johannesburg Water always came up with excuses but no solutions.

“This is a human rights issue. I couldn’t even wash my clothes over the weekend,” he said.

“The reason why there are water outages is because Johannesburg Water is cutting down the water pressure and, as a result, the high areas get affected.”

Ward 100 ANC councillor Mapula Mosito said she had been conveying the information received from the entity to residents since Friday.

“I kept phoning Johannesburg Water for a speedy reaction. However, I managed to ask them to dispatch tanks to all affected sections,” she said.

Johannesburg Water spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene said they were exhausting all available resources to complete repairs.

She added tanks were also made available to affected areas.

“There is a faulty pressure reducing valve [PRV] at Boundary Road, close to the Cosmo City reservoir. The depot is in the process of removing the PRV and installing a straight-through. This will allow water into Ext 5 and 6 of Cosmo City.”

 

FINALLY RELIEF FOR COSMO CITY !!! Zandspruit will soon have a high school

JOBURG – Education MEC has confirmed that a high school will be built in the next financial year.

 

Zandspruit will have its own high school by mid-2018.
This was revealed by the MEC for Education in Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi on 15 November at the Provincial Legislature.
Lesufi was responding to a question posed by a member of the EFF, Mandisa Mashego who wanted to know if there are any plans to build a high school in Zandspruit. The MEC said a new school will be built in the next financial year, which starts in April next year.
Mashego demanded that Lesufi should give specific timelines on when the school will be complete. “It takes between 11 and 13 months to build a school,” Lesufi said. He also highlighted that the biggest challenge his department faced was securing proper land where a school can be built but said this was water under the bridge.

Currently, there are only two primary schools in Zandspruit and pupils who are in high school, attend school in the neighbouring Cosmo City, which is more than five kilometres from Zandspruit.
Mashego also highlighted that there were problems with scholar transport that the department has made available between Zandspruit and Cosmo City. According to Mashego, the scholar transport is inadequate and it did not always arrive, leaving pupils stranded and having to walk to school.
Lesufi, however, dismissed the scholar transport allegations and said the transport serviced the pupils in a satisfactory manner. “Those who end up walking to school are those who arrive at the bus stop late. I have checked with the school and they confirmed that there were no issues with the scholar transport.”

Honeydew crime stats released

HONEYDEW – Honeydew Police Station is rated the second-highest precinct in terms of crime stats.

NC04AMPcrime-Joint-efforts-from-SAPS-CPF-members-and-security-companies-have-put-more-criminals-behind-bars

The provincial crime statistics were released this week and unfortunately the Honeydew precinct ranks number two on the 10 worst precincts in Gauteng this year.
In previous Honeydew CPF meetings it has been mentioned that Sector 4 is Cosmo City and that the council has been trying for years to have a police station built in Cosmo City.
The precinct with the most crimes is Johannesburg central with 14 606 crimes. Honeydew comes in second with 12 889 crimes reported, and third is Pretoria central with 11 444 crimes reported. Number 10 on the list is Roodepoort with 8 285 reported crimes. Honeydew makes up 12.3 per centof this list.
The list below focuses on the Honeydew precinct. Where it lies on the top 10 worst precinct list and how many cases have been reported. Police provincial spokesperson, Lieutenant Kay Makhubela has given permission for these statistics to be released.

Contact crimes against a person

    Murder
    7th with 76 murders. 1st is Hillbrow
    Sexual offenses
    10th with 153 cases. 1st is Ivory Park
    Attempted murder
    6th with 97 cases. 1st is Ivory Park
     Assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm
    None reported. 1st is Tembisa
     Common assault
    6th with 861 cases. 1st is Kagiso
     Common robbery
    10th with 286 cases. 1st is Johannesburg central
     Robbery with aggravating circumstances
    3rd with 1 076 cases. 1st is Johannesburg central

Contact-related crimes

     Arson
    None reported. 1st is Kagiso
     Malicious damage to property
    1st with 742 cases

Property-related crimes

     Burglary at non-residential premises
    8th with 281 cases. 1st is Vereeniging
    Burglary at residential premises
    1st with 1 530 cases (365 cases more than Roodepoort, which is 2nd)
     Theft of motor vehicles and motorcycles
    1st with 835 cases (261 cases more than Booysens, which is 2nd)
     Theft out of or from motor vehicle
    6th with 1 104 cases. 1st is Sunnyside
     Stock theft
    None reported. 1st is Fochville

Crime detected as a result of police action

     Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition
    None reported. 1st is Alexandra
    Drug-related crimes
    None reported. 1st is Eldorado Park
     Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
    None reported. 1st is Thembisa
     Sexual offenses detected as a result of police action
    None reported. 1st is Sandton


Other serious crimes

     Theft, not mentioned elsewhere
    4th with 2 346 cases. 1st is Pretoria central
     Commercial crime
    8th with 584 cases. 1st is Johannesburg central
     Shoplifting
    8th with 466 cases. 1st is Johannesburg central

Subcategories of aggravated robbery

     Carjacking
    None reported. 1st is Booysens
     Truck hijacking
    None. 1st is Heidelberg
     Robbery at residential premises
    1st with 380 cases.
     Robbery at non-residential premises
    9th with 122 cases. 1st is Tembisa
     Bank robbery
    None. 1st is Norkem Park with 1 case
     Robbery of cash in transit
    None. 1st is Benoni with 3 cases.

Other crime categories where no crimes were reported in the province this year are:
Culpable homicide
Public violence
Crimen injuria
Neglect and ill-treatment of children
Kidnapping.

Summer Festival launch in Cosmo City

COSMO CITY – The summer festival will be held every year and is the Cosmo Mall’s way of giving back to the community.

 

Thulisile Madihlaba popularly known as Chomee performs at the Mall

The first summer festival in Cosmo Mall is planned to be an annual event following a positive response from the residents in Cosmo City.
Musicians and local artists entertained residents at the shopping centre’s parking lot on 29 October. Artists such as Thebe, Chomee, kwaito group Alaska, Nokwazi, DJ Lady T and Joe Moth graced the festival.
Residents were given the opportunity to meet and watch their favourite artists while performing. It was a hive of activities with children’s entertainment and exhibition stands.
“The mall worked with the youth and local artists within Cosmo City to give them a platform to showcase their talent,” said Ayanda Mauka, communications and marketing officer of the centre.
She said residents braved the heat to watch the performances and browse the exhibition stands. “People were excited to see their kwaito legends, and the youth were motivated by Alaska who warned them against drug and alcohol use and spoke to them about healthy living and working hard for their dreams,” she said.
One of the artists and a Cosmo City resident, Chomee, told young people about the importance of following their dreams. “Residents embraced the mall’s decision of organising the concert and providing entertainment to residents for free,” concluded Mauka.

Inspiring beauty and brains COSMO CITY – Unemployment Need Transformation looks to empower Randburg.

 Shaun Unterslak, principal of Unemployed Need Transformation (UNT), a school accredited to teach beauty and Afro hairdressing, has planned a special programme for the unemployed in the area.

 Past pupil, Bonisiwe Kumalo, who now works at the beauty spa at the Westcliff Hotel

Shaun Unterslak, principal of Unemployed Need Transformation (UNT), a school accredited to teach beauty and Afro hairdressing, has planned a special programme for the unemployed in the area.

Starting early November, it is aimed at unemployed and low-income earners living in and around Randburg including Cosmo City. Unterslak added that many Cosmo City residents asked that the programme to come to the area after it was found to be a success in Olievenhoutbosch.

Graduates can either find employment in salons, rent a chair in existing salons or run their own mobile salons.

“I have trained thousands of unemployed, abused and disadvantaged individuals in townships around Johannesburg. I create an opportunity for them to work for themselves and earn a high income,” Unterslak added. He shared the story of a past student in Soweto, who began earning R4 500 a month only three months after her training and has now started her own salon.

Participants will undergo eight weeks of beauty training, which will include the following skills:

     Manicure and pedicure
     Applying acrylic nails
     Applying gel nails
     Applying artificial single eyelashes
     Apply braiding
     Applying hair extensions.

On completion of the training, all successful students will receive an accredited certificate.

“December is the peak period in the beauty and hair industry and the students will be able to apply artificial acrylic nails and artificial eyelashes on paying customers by then,” said Unterslak.

To enable the training to take place, a minimum of 25 students need to participate in the programme. Those interested can SMS or call Unterslak on 072 517 8937.

South Africans are not the world’s biggest alcohol consumers.A South African minister claims the country tops the international rankings for alcohol consumption. The most recent data shows he’s wrong.

South Africans outdrink all other nations, according to South Africa’s minister of trade and industry Rob Davies.

Davies claimed that “South Africa currently has the highest level of alcohol consumption in the world” at a press briefing where he released the National Liquor Amendment Bill for public comment.

The Bill proposes, among other things, raising the minimum drinking age in South Africa to 21 years.

Is the minister’s claim true?
Source of department’s statistic unknown

The press release published on the department’s website notes, “according to Minister Davies, South Africa currently has the highest level of alcohol consumption in the world at 10-12% as compared to the world average of 6%”.

We contacted the department’s spokesman for comment on how they arrived at these figures but he did not respond to emails and phone calls.

It’s unclear where these percentages come from or what they refer to. The department has previously cited World Health Organisation (WHO) data in their documents, which refers to adult per capita consumption of pure alcohol by the litre.

Residents watch the opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in a liquor store in the Atteridgeville on June 11, 2010. Photo: John MacDougall/AFP

How much do South Africans drink?

WHO produces global alcohol and health status reports, which aim to provide a detailed picture of alcohol consumption across the world for people aged 15 years and older. These reports also describe efforts by the organisation and its member states to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, as well as highlight its health and social consequences.

Its 2014 report shows that total per capita alcohol consumption in South Africa was 11 litres in 2010 – 18.4 litres for males and 4.6 litres for females. When only looking at those that drink, per capita consumption for drinkers of both sexes rose to 27.1 litres of pure alcohol, contained in beer, wine, spirits and other alcoholic drinks.

A total of 59.4% of South Africans abstained from drinking alcohol over the period studied, according to the report. This was made up of 42% of South Africans who had never consumed alcohol and 17.3% who used to drink but had stopped.
SA 31st for total alcohol consumption

The latest WHO data shows that South Africa is not the highest ranked country in the world for alcohol consumption when it comes to total alcohol consumption or total alcohol consumption among drinkers.

The country was ranked 31st highest of 195 countries for total alcohol consumed per capita (11 litres per person) in 2010. Belarus took the top spot with a per capita consumption of 17.5 litres.

WHO data shows that global average alcohol consumption was 6.3 litres per person in 2010, which translates to 13.5 grammes of pure alcohol per day. In Africa, average alcohol consumption was 6 litres per person.

Drinkers’ consumption much higher

Richard Matzopoulous, a senior scientist at the South African Medical Research Council’s Burden of Disease Research Unit, whose research includes looking at the relationship between alcohol and violence, thought Davies may have been mistaken.

He pointed out that “what South Africa is renowned for is one of the highest per capita rates of drinking among the drinking population.”

When this is considered, South Africa climbs to 11th place. The data shows that South African drinkers drank on average 27.1 litres of alcohol in 2010.

South Africa was ranked 59th highest of 195 countries for heavy episodic drinking among those who drink. Drinking at least 60 grammes or more of pure alcohol on at least one occasion in the past 30 days will place a drinker in this category.

Standard drink measures vary from country to country, but in South Africa, a standard drink contains 12 grammes of pure alcohol. Consuming five-and-a-half glasses of wine (at a typical 12% alcohol volume) or five 340ml beers (at a typical 5% alcohol volume) on at least one occasion in the last month would be considered “heavy episodic drinking”.

Conclusion: The claim is incorrect according to the most recent WHO data

South Africa does not have the highest level of alcohol consumption in the world. Based on WHO per capita alcohol consumption data, South Africa was ranked 31st of 195 countries.

The country scores higher when it comes to average alcohol consumption among those who drink. It was ranked 11th highest, with drinkers consuming 27.1 litres each in 2010.

This is certainly very high and according to WHO data the risk profile of such drinking places South Africa at level 4, on a scale from 1 being the least risky to 5 being the most.

Cosmo City - Man shot in 'road rage' brawl undergoes surgery.A man is fighting for his life in hospital after being shot in the head during an alleged road rage incident.

 

It’s alleged that the man followed the driver of the car that had bumped into him to his home. When he arrived there, an argument ensued and he was shot in the head by the other driver.

Gauteng department of health spokesperson Steve Mabona confirmed that the man was admitted to a Johannesburg hospital where he was due for surgery soon.

“He sustained a serious wound to the head and will be operated on on Friday,” Mabona said.

The victim was allegedly driving his Toyota Corolla in Cosmo City at about 8.30pm on Wednesday when a man in a Nissan bakkie bumped into him.

Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini of the Gauteng police said they received information that the man in the bakkie carried on driving to his house in Cosmo City after bumping into the other car.

“The other driver followed him to his house. They stopped on the street outside the man’s house and they started arguing. During the argument, the man was shot,” Dlamini said.

He said police quickly arrived at the scene and arrested the man who now faced a charge of attempted murder. He was to appear in court soon.

Less fortunate

While the man is lucky to be alive, motorcyclist Douglas Pearce was less fortunate in 2014 after Meekahaefele Masooa shot him in an alleged road rage incident in Malibongwe Drive in Randburg.

However, Masooa claimed that it was in self-defence and that Pearce had been attacking him when his own firearm discharged. The two had an altercation that later led to Pearce, who also had a firearm that day, being shot.

A few months later on 9 November, motorist Mandla* sustained serious injuries when another driver Nicholas Gale attacked him with an axe in a road rage incident, also on Malibongwe Drive.

Mandla claimed the man had started by swearing at him, yelling at him as he drove alongside him and showing him the middle finger.

He said when he changed lanes, Gale overtook him and swore at him. When they stopped at a traffic light, Gale allegedly got out his car with an axe and started attacking Mandla, breaking his window.

“I was ducking from the blows of the axe when he struck my arm,” Mandla said. “I tried to flee. I put my car into reverse gear and hit his car.

“Then he lost it and started bashing my car with his axe,” Mandla said.

He put the car into first gear and fled the scene. Gale was later arrested.

Not his real name.

New MMC’s 100-day plan for Joburg - Ngobeni is passionate about the area in which he lives - Cosmo City.

Joburg's new MMC for development planning Funzela Ngobeni says builders, investors and developers will no longer be treated with disdain. 

And the fact that the Department of Development Planning is running at only 54 percent capacity has also not helped investors or the staff, whose morale is at an all-time low.

Compounding matters is the fact that the computer systems crash at least three times a week.

Speaking to The Star, Ngobeni said he was “mind-boggled” at some of the stories he heard directly from builders, investors and developers about the treatment they received from officials when trying to get plans or township applications passed, which often take months, and sometimes years.

“These officials have failed to recognise what a valuable contribution these people are making to the economy of the city. This is one of the first problems I will be addressing,” he said.

“I have also engaged with staff whose morale is very low. One of the biggest problems in the department is the inefficiency of the systems which is leading to the delay of applications. It also badly affects staff morale and influences their attitude to clients.

“We need to change these attitudes to offer a professional civil service. We plan on upgrading the IT system to address this. This also talks to having the right skills in the right place. The staff is valued by all, but we need to lift their morale,” he said.

Ngobeni said he had held three meetings with builders, developers and communities and would continue to do so.

“We need to form partnerships with those wanting to invest in our city if we are to reach our goal of growing the Joburg’s economy by 5 percent. This will not only have the benefit of growing the city, but will help to creating jobs which is vital, as unemployment is skyrocketing.”

Ngobeni said he had visited the Metrolink building which dealt with building and town planning applications to assess the problems, and had visited the storeroom where the plans were stored.

“This is in the basement and is a disaster with many plans missing or misplaced. I intend to digitalise all the plans going forward,” he said.

The department had experienced problems filling posts, but Ngobeni said he would look for additional funding in the budget-review process.

Engaging with communities was vital not only to clear blockages in the systems, but also to address disagreements and hear all sides of the stories, he said. The Johannesburg Development Agency was doing “wonderful work” across the city and it needed more support from the city, which he would be offering.

Ngobeni is passionate about the area in which he lives - Cosmo City. “It was started as a great concept of mixed housing, but fast deteriorated because of overcrowding, crime, illegal taverns and crumbling RDP houses. All this should have been stopped by the previous council before it reached this point.

“We need to start engaging the community, legalise title deeds and push for a police station and public cleaning which do not exist here,” he said.

Ngobeni’s 100-day plan includes:

*the fast-tracking of the Linbro Park master plans;

the development of the Kaserne transport-orientated hub in the CBD;

the fast-tracking of the development of the Hillbrow Tower precinct;

more by-law enforcement especially around illegal buildings;

re-establishing the municipal courts which have collapsed;

*fast-tracking building approval times;

and verification and confirmation of street numbers and names.

Who is Funzela Ngobeni?

From timeshare salesman to member of the mayoral committee, Funzela Ngobeni has been a DA proportional representative councillor for the past two years.

He has been doing work in and around the community of Zandspruit and Cosmo City, where he lives with his wife and two children.

He was a political activist most of his youth and decided to join Cope in 2008.

“It was then I realised that politics in this country was not going well under the ANC. I was looking for a different political home. We were being fed incorrect information and propaganda about the DA, so I started investigating that party”s policies.

“I saw its leaders were doing good work in other areas and parts of the country.”

He said that initially his family had been shocked by his decision to join the DA.

“My father is a strong ANC supporter. However, after telling them why I had changed parties, they understood.”

Ngobeni grew up in Bloemfontein and came to Joburg in 1997 to study tourism management.

He started working as an agent selling timeshare.

He later joined Cathay Pacific Airways and Air Botswana working his way up the ranks.

He then studied housing development at the Wits School of Governance.

“I miss all the international travelling, but I'm hoping to make my mark in this city, which generations will be able to look back on with pride,” he said.

Cosmo City - Man arrested for shooting driver in head after car crash

A man was shot following a car crash on South Africa Drive in Cosmo City on 5 October 2016.

“Yes‚ I can confirm that the man was arrested on the scene. We are still getting further details on the case‚” said Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini of Wednesday night’s incident.

ER24’s Werner Vermaak said earlier that the 30-year-old victim “told paramedics that he was involved in a collision with another vehicle when the other driver apparently got out of the vehicle and shot him”.

The service’s paramedics arrived at the scene on South Africa Drive at around 8pm‚ and found him “sitting on a pavement near his vehicle”.

“He had a gunshot wound to the front of his head. He was immediately assessed by paramedics and treated for his injury‚” Vermaak added.

“It appears that the bullet entered the front of his skull. He was in a serious‚ but stable condition. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.”

Vermaak said Johannesburg metro police “attended the scene and questioned the driver of the other vehicle by the time paramedics left for hospital”.

“He was not injured in the incident. The exact circumstances surrounding the incident will be investigated.”

 

Man stabbed in Cosmo City

ER24 treated a man who was stabbed.

A man, believed to be in his 20s, was left critically injured on the evening of 1 October after he was stabbed in the back on Angola Drive in Cosmo City.
ER24 spokesperson Russel Meeting said that paramedics were called to the scene by local authorities for further backup.
“Upon arrival, paramedics found the man lying on the side of the road surrounded by numerous members of the Police.
On assessment, paramedics found that the man had sustained a serious stab wound to his back, leaving him in a critical condition.”
Meiring said the man was immediately treated for his injuries and provided with advanced life support interventions.
“Once treated, the patient was transported to Helen Joseph Hospital Hospital for further treatment.”

Resources an issue but Honeydew police try their best

HONEYDEW – Honeydew Police Station statistics reveal that it deals with a relatively high number of cases due to the size of the area it services.

Honeydew services a large area in Joburg.

Honeydew Police Station is among the five stations in Gauteng with the highest number of crimes reported because it serves such a large area. This is according to the station’s spokesperson, Captain Balan Muthan.

“The station services a large area with some places that have a dense population like Cosmo City and Zandspruit,” he said. Muthan said the station is trying to deploy more resources because of the population increase. “Resources are an issue, but we try our best,” he said.

Focusing on crimes committed in the province in the last year, Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Deliwe de Lange this week revealed that the murder rate has increased by 4.7 per cent with 3 842 cases reported. Sexual offences decreased by 4 per cent with 9 510 cases reported. The Johannesburg Central, Hillbrow, Sandton and Pretoria Central police stations join Honeydew Police Station as the top five stations with the highest number of crimes reported.

According to statistic released by the South African Police Service for April last year until March this year, 28 more murder cases were opened than the previous year’s 48 cases.

In total, there were 3 225 contact crimes reported at Honeydew Police Station, that saw an increase of 3.7 per cent of said crimes. Property-related crimes decreased by 13.6 per cent. Burglary at residential premises decreased by 15.7 per cent. No bank or cash-in-transit robberies were reported at the station this year. Sexual offence cases decreased this year, with 17 fewer reported than the previous year’s 170 cases.

Kate Lorimer, a member of the Provincial Legislature for Safety and Security, said she did not believe that the sexual offences statistics are a true reflection of what happens in reality and should be higher. “The main problem is, people feel harassed at police stations when reporting sexual offences,” she alleged.

Muthan said the goal is always to reduce crime, thus reducing the high number of crimes reported at the station. On 16 September, Cosmo City residents organised a peaceful march against crime in the area, causing heavy traffic delays.

Con-tree-buting to a healthy planet COSMO CITY

COSMO CITY – Trees and the life they bring was celebrated in schools in and around Cosmo City.

Pupils from schools in Cosmo City learn about trees and the impact they have on our environment.

Green Beings, based in Fourways, celebrated Arbour Week by promoting active citizenship through its Ethoma ka Wena (The buck stops with you) Campaign, which combines Arbour Week and National Clean-up Week.

The aim is to create awareness within Cosmo City’s schools and residents by promoting a clean, green, healthy community for everyone to enjoy. Special guests were invited to conduct awareness assemblies at each school.

Arbour Day is a day that pays special attention to the importance of trees. The day is celebrated on different dates around the world, depending on seasons. South Africans celebrate Arbour Week during the first week of September, to encourage people to plant trees so they are not lost to us and future generations.

Schools are encouraged to conduct action projects to promote effective environmental management within the school and the surrounding community. Each year, the tree-of-the-year is planted by pupils, while also carrying out a school clean-up.

Indigenous trees are part of our natural heritage; they serve many purposes in our lives and in other living organisms. They provide an important habitat for the survival of bird, animal and insect species. Our indigenous trees also play an important role in attracting tourists to South Africa.

The campaign impacted about 10 000 pupils and over 240 teaching staff. Each school planted fruit and indigenous trees on the school grounds.

MUST READ: Help Nkosi develop a society of avid readers

COSMO CITY – About 90 children from low-income households read books from Cosmo City Kids’

Nelson Modiba, Blessing Bengu, Wonderboy Madhlala and Muzi Nkosi spend time reading books.

COSMO CITY – Muzi Nkosi has received an overwhelming response from members of the public who want to help him reach his dream of building a community library in Cosmo City.

He said he has received more books since Randburg Sun published his story, Nkosi helps children read books, recently.

To date, one donor has already donated a Wendy house and he is currently using it to store books, chairs and tables.

About 90 children from low-income households flock to Cosmo City Kids’ Haven every weekday after school to read and borrow books. They are currently using a tent.

Nkosi is still waiting for a donor who will deliver containers from Soweto to Cosmo City. These containers were recently donated to him as he strives to achieve his goal to help children in the suburb develop a culture of reading.

“The donors are promising. One of them came to view the place and promised to move the containers,” he said.

The embassies of Vienna and Austria also came on board and promised to help him after he wrote to them.

“We also need a fencing to secure the property,” he said.

An unemployed Blessing Bengu endorsed Nkosi’s initiative and believes that it would help many children in Cosmo City. “I don’t have a full-time job, I am actually a labourer and when I am not doing anything I spend most of the time here, reading books,” he said.

Nelson Modiba added that it also helped children open up their minds. “Some of these children’s parents are not privileged and cannot afford to buy books,” he said.

Details: Muzi Nkosi 084 238 8410.

GAUTENG OFFICIALS TO MEET WITH COSMO CITY RESIDENTS Residents have been protesting against the high crime rate in the area.

JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng Community Safety Department says it’s studying a memorandum submitted by Cosmo City residents and will meet with them in the next week.

Residents have been protesting against the high crime rate in the area.

Yesterday community members marched to the Johannesburg offices of Community Safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane.

The department’s Thapelo Moiloa says, “They want operation Fiela to kick in, but we want to confirm that we are planning a meeting with residents in a weeks time.”

Cosmo City Shines at World Stage in World Robot Olympiad

On the 18th of August we published a story http://cosmohousing.blogspot.com/2016/08/cosmo-city-grade-10-learner-wins-gold.html

little did we know this product of Cosmo City was gonna hit the world scale.

Meridian Cosmo City (MCC), a school in a mixed housing suburb north of JHB, was the winner of a silver medal in the Senior High School open category at the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) national finals held in Pretoria this month.
robot
MCC is managed by JSE-listed independent education provider Curro Holdings, which saw sister school Curro Grantleigh take a gold medal in the Senior High School regular category. Grantleigh will be travelling to New Delhi, India, in November to compete in the WRO world finals, along with

The WRO is a non-profit organisation founded in 2004, comprising more than 50 member countries, and involving more than 20 000 teams competing in the challenges each year. The 2016 “Rap the Scrap” theme is focused on recycling, which calls for contestants to build robots that can reduce, manage, and recycle waste. Participants built their robots using Lego components.

The Natal-based Curro Grantleigh team comprises Bonga Gumbi and Dominique Spies, who had to make a robot that picks up sorted waste into recycling containers at a recycling plant. The robot had two minutes to complete the challenge and the team had to ensure the robot did not damage the recycling containers.

“I had a team that went to Qatar last year. This year I have a senior team qualifying for the world finals in Dehli,” said Alan Lewis, a robotics teacher at Curro Grantleigh.

Spies’ 15 year old grade 9 teammate, Gumbi, said one of the challenges they faced at the WRO was the surface of the mats on which the robot was operating – it was were different to the ones from school.

“We changed the program a bit and we succeeded,” said Gumbi.

Meridian Cosmo City participated for the first time in the WRO. The team, made up of grade 6 learners Tshimologo Mafokosho and Rethabile Moeketsi, built a robot called “Mrs Kling”, designed to clean littered caves. As some of the cave areas are too tight and inaccessible for humans, Mrs Kling has been built to collect litter and rubble in spaces that cannot accommodate humans.

“I am very happy with the achievement. This is just the best moment so far,” said Mafokosho, while Moeketsi insisted it wouldn’t end there: “Next year we will continue.”

The two also had the recent privilege of testing their robot at the Rising Star cave system where human ancestor Homo Naledi was discovered. Mafokosho and Moeketsi’s project was judged second to an electronic bin designed by Greenside Primary School. Greesnide also won the Junior Primary open category.

Parklands was the big winner, taking the gold medal in the Primary School regular category and the Senior High School open category. Redhill earned a silver medal in both the Junior High School and Senior High School regular categories.

Meridian Cosmo City Primary School operational head Swarts Sibanyoni said his school would have sent more than just one team to compete in the World Robot Olympiad if it had more robotics components.

Tony Williams, Curro’s project manager of IT and Robotics, said robotics had been taught as a subject from Grades R to 6 at Curro schools since 2011. It has led to annual Robotics Competitions which encourage Curro learners to explore the world of coding in a fun and rewarding way, and in a manner that provides an interactive learning platform and creates excitement in the classroom.

Massive Cosmo City march – ‘nothing to go in or out’ COSMO CITY

 – A massive community march was scheduled to shut down all taxi services in Cosmo City this morning 16 September. No taxi’s were expected to be entering or leaving Cosmo City until after 9am.



Honeydew Police spokesperson, Captain Bulan Muthan, has confirmed that a march will take place from the Multipurpose Centre in Cosmo City on 16 September.

According to a message being circulated on WhatsApp, and confirmed by Muthan, the march against crime in the area was organised by members of the community.

Marchers planned to make their way from the taxi rank, to the MEC of Safety and Security’s office in Joburg.

According to the message, the march “comes after the killing of one of the Pakistan in ext 4″.

Muthan confirmed that all necessary precautions had been taken, and that officials were already on site on the evening of 15 September.  He did not anticipate that traffic would be affected.

It is unclear at this point whether or not the march is protected.

This is a developing story. More information will follow as it becomes available.

CPF warns of vigilante groups HONEYDEW – National CPF warns neighbourhood groups to be registered with SAPS or PSIRA.

The Honeydew SAPS and the National Community Policing Forum (CPF) Board decided that all neighbourhood watch, resident’s associations and block watch structures must fall within the relevant CPF station and sector structures with immediate effect.

These structures and patrollers must be registered with the relevant police station in which they operate as well as be fingerprinted and checked for criminal records by SAPS. Further to this, these groups need to be inducted and trained, which will be arranged by SAPS and the office of the MEC for Community Safety.

All theses structures must be registered with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) as service providers or security officers.

In an unrelated meeting, the executive director of PSIRA confirmed that they are busy compiling a policy document, in conjunction with SAPS at National level that will be available shortly. It was further advised that no private firearms may be carried in the performance of neighbourhood watch duties.

Any neighbourhood watch structures, patrollers and organisers that do not adhere to these conditions will be prohibited and could face criminal prosecution.

Honeydew CPF, public relations officer, Jon Rosenberg said that the public should question and ask for proof before they decide to join groups like these. The CPF office keeps a file on all these structures, which includes their constitution and a map detailing their area of operation.

“Anyone not adhering to these regulations will be seen as a vigilante group and dealt with accordingly,” said Rosenberg.
Details: Honeydew CPF, infoho@honeydew-cpf.org.za.

Basil Read intensifies focus on integrated housing development to strengthen order book

Construction company Basil Read will be focusing in particular on the integrated housing development sector to drive future growth and strengthen its order book, as this “is a real opportunity for South Africa”.
Speaking to Engineering News Online on Tuesday, CEO Neville Nicolau highlighted that integrated housing development was of strategic importance in the future of the country, as for many years, South Africa had “perpetuated apartheid” by building entry-level housing in less accessible areas, in contrast with more expensive estates, effectively “splitting up society”, which has for some time now been undergoing a shift.

The division on Monday reported operating profit of R8.6-million for the six months to June 30, down from R14.8-million in the six months to June 2015; however, the company’s order book in the sector grew from R200-million to R470-million over the same period.
Nicolau explained that, over the last ten years, Basil Read had been involved with the Cosmo City development, west of Johannesburg, where entry-level housing and middle-class housing were mixed together in an area where auxiliary amenities were also built, including schools, shopping centres, churches and industrial areas.
“You end up with an integrated society,” he pointed out, adding that the company was close to completing Cosmo City.
Basil Read is also involved in the development of Savanna City, in the south of Johannesburg, where unit sales continue to exceed expectations, underscoring the demand for affordable housing, with some 700 families already living in the development.
“We are looking to develop this idea and are in talks with government, as well as private companies that have land available and are ready for this kind of development,” Nicolau said.
This includes partnering with Old Mutual’s Housing Impact Fund of South Africa, the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements and the Midvaal local municipality to ensure its 1 400 ha Savanna City project sets a benchmark in economic development and housing.
Currently, Basil Read is installing internal bulk services to support the continued roll-out of stands.
Nicolau pointed out that the integrated housing development model also generated work for the company’s construction and roads divisions, which would allow for greater control of its order book, in time.
“If we increase the number of integrated development sites that we are working on, we will control our order book – a competitive advantage for a construction company. [We] are very often at the mercy of the market, the State and outside factors,” he said, adding that this division added some stability.
Meanwhile, the company highlighted that progress at its Malibongwe Ridge development had slowed owing to the budgetary constraints of key government partners. Servicing for the first phase, comprising 486 fully subsidised residential stands, is complete and 41 homes have been handed over and occupied by residents.
Nicolau explained that the company continued to see growth in South Africa, despite the subdued building environment, as the country had capital to support infrastructure growth, unlike other countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
He highlighted that while the roads sector was slower at the start of the year, moving into a rehabilitation-and-maintenance-dominated phase, it had started to pick up again.
Nicolau added that other projects, such as water and sanitation, major port upgrades and the rail sector, would further bolster the company’s order book in months to come.

COSMO CITY – Nkosi wants to help the children of Cosmo City improve the culture of reading.

NYDA donated a water tank, placed on the open land, which Nkosi is going to use as a library.
Muzi Nkosi is adamant that his initiative to start-up a community library will prevail, thereby, improving the culture of reading.

This Cosmo City resident has already collected over 3 000 books from different donors in Johannesburg and has been searching for books since the beginning of this year.

“I started posting on Facebook community groups such as I Love Northcliff, Melville and other groups in the Randburg area,” he said. Most people began sending him messages, supporting his idea and promising him books.

According to Nkosi, about 90 children from low-income households in the area visit him every week to borrow books and the number is gradually increasing. “These children tell others about this initiative; currently, most of these children are from Extensions 2,4 and 6,” he explained.



Nkosi believes his library will help uplift the community. “We only have one library here and most of the children cannot walk to the Multipurpose Centre, hence the need for a library,” he gushed. He said Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) has allocated him around two hectares of land in Extension 4. “The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) donated a water tank and dug up the boreholes on the land,” he beamed.

Nkosi’s house is full of books and this trained pharmacist quit his job to address the plight of children in the community. He was also trained by NYDA to facilitate the agency’s programmes in the area. “I saw that children from this area, Extension 4, have the potential to read regularly,” he pointed out. His non-governmental organisation (NGO), Perfect Start Ministries, was registered a few years ago and he plans to change the lives of many through this organisation.

“Our government relies on NGOs to help them minimise the social backlogs in our society and that’s why I started the NGO.” He is in dire need of a proper structure to contain all the books he has collected. Nkosi is appealing to any member of the public who can help him collect three containers from Soweto, that were donated to him, which can serve as a library.

Details: Muzi Nkosi, 084 238 8410.

Cosmo City Multipurpose Centre 31 August '16 is The annual Business Connect Seminar: Back to Kasi

The workshop, a 1-day entrepreneurial course was specially designed to empower women entrepreneurs with skills necessary for them to compete in the global marketplace. At the end of the course, participants gained extensive knowledge on crucial leadershipskills, hands-on experience in business management, and a new circle of contacts with fellow women entrepreneurs.The workshop aims to educate entrepreneurs through a series of lectures and special talks by guest speakers who are industry practitioners and successful entrepreneurs, group roundtable discussions, e-business sessions, a ‘Bring Your Own Case’ experiential workgroup and industrial study excursions to various local businesses in the country.

Key areas of Discussion:

• ·         Identifying Opportunities
• ·         Feasible Business Models
• ·         Business Plan Framework

Developing a New Business

• ·         Financial Management
• ·         Competitor Analysis
• ·         Marketing & Communication

Sustaining a Good Business

• ·         Market Positioning
• ·         Creativity & Innovation
• ·         Managing Growth

Amongst many others

Promoting Township economy through Information, Business Opportunities and Networking. INVESTMENT for R200.00 including refreshments and goodie bags.


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Mother’s search for her daughter is ongoing HONEYDEW – Mother and Honeydew SAPS are on the lookout for 15 year old girl.

Have you seen this young lady?

The distraught mother of 15-year-old Phomolo Mokgatlhe is doing everything in her power to find her daughter.

Detective Duma from the Honeydew Police is investigating the case. Spokesperson for Honeydew Police, Warrant Officer Karen Jacobs, confirmed that Mokgatlhe has still not been found. “Detectives were with the parents at the school and other addresses where she might be, but with no success,” said Jacobs.

Phomolo’s mother, Evelyn Mokgatlhe explained that her daughter was last seen at her school, Far North Secondary School in Cosmo City on 12 August at around 1.30pm. Mokgathle explained that – allegedly – witnesses saw her daughter get into a taxi to meet a boy at another school in Cosmo City.

“He goes by the name of ‘KR’ and is in Grade 11,” said Mokgatlhe.
This, however, has not been confirmed.

Various people also commented that they might have seen Phomolo at this same school’s matric dance, after party. Her mother confirmed that she did not have her phone with her as its charger is not working.

Mokgathle and Duma went to the school in Cosmo City, where they were provided with a list of names of all the Grade 11s. None of them, however, fit the profile of ‘KR’.

Detective Duma can be contacted with any information. Phomolo is of medium build, has brown eyes and shoulder-length, black straightened hair.

Details: Honeydew Police Station, 011 801 8400.

Cosmo City : WATCH: Janes and Unathi play ‘mogusha’

Unathi and Janez were taught how to play the beloved games, mogusha (also known as umgusha in IsiZulu) and amathini.

Idols SA Judge and Metro FM breakfast show co-host Unathi Msengana and Mancave presenter Janez Vermeiren, recently took to the streets of Cosmo City for the Shield MotionSense ‘It’s Your Move’ challenge.

As part of the campaign, the two personalities had to select two individuals who had to assign them a challenge.  The first of the series of challenges took place at Cosmo City’s Tirisano Mmogo Primary School, where the learners taught Unathi and Janez umgusha and amathini. Next they were challenged to take on the Honeydew maze in Randburg, where they had to find hidden Shield MotionSense products.

The winners of the Shield It’s Your Move challenges met up with Unathi Msengana and Janez Vermeiren to compete in the final challenges of the campaign. The two winners, Mamsy Mdluli and Abongile Xozwa, challenged the Shield ambassadors to play indigenous games with school kids and to do the Honeydew maze.

Watch the Video Below

Cosmo City Grade 10 learner wins gold at Eskom Science Expo

Winner of gold medal in the Eskom Science Expo's district competition Ofentse Mafokosho says it has been a great honour to have her work recognised.

The grade 10 learner at Meridian school in Cosmo City in the north of Johannesburg, will later this year compete in the International Science Expo after winning a Bronze medal at the Regional competition.

As an active member of the Eco Club, she created a Grotto Robot that cleans caves.

Speaking on Morning Live, she says the robot can access places that are too small for humans to enter.

She says: "It was not an easy task because she had to balance her school work with this project."

"All the hard work paid off when I was announced as the winner as this was my first year entering," adds Mafokosho.

For more watch below

Off-duty cop shoots thug in Cosmo City

COSMO CITY – Hijackers met their match as they tried to hijack a cop.

THREE Cosmo City robbers got it all wrong when they attempted to hijack an off-duty cop, who retaliated with fatal consequences.

The constable, who cannot be identified for ethical reasons, shot back and killed an armed would-be hijacker in Mostyn Park near Cosmo City.

According to Diepsloot Police Station’s principal communication officer, Captain Daniel Mavimbela, the constable was seated in his Rav 4 vehicle when three armed suspects attempted to hijack his car. This went wrong when an exchange of gunfire ensued, leaving one thug dead and the officer injured.

“One of the suspects was fatally shot. He collapsed next to the constable’s Rav 4 and died on the scene,” said Mavimbela

He added that the other two suspects ran away, leaving their dying accomplice with a toy gun. “It is believed the other remaining suspects escaped with the real firearm.”

Mavimbela confirmed that the constable was taken to a local hospital in a stable condition.

Police are now investigating a case of attempted hijacking and attempted murder.