Back rooms debacle in Cosmo City

COSMO CITY – The City halts the issuing of the standard contravention notices to residents until further engagements with residents.

Members of the Cosmo City Task Team are Edward Mariba (secretary), William Ramotlane (chairperson) and Richard Nranwashe (spokesperson)

The City of Johannesburg‘s effort to halt the extension of properties in Cosmo City in an effort to control buildings was faced with mixed reactions from residents.

The City’s Department of Development Planning recently started issuing the standard contravention notices to residents who were extending their properties to rent out backrooms.

This process was initially started last year in Extension 5 but has since spread to Extension 8.

Residents did not heed the call but instead resort to engage with the MMC for Development Planning, councillor Funzela Ngobeni.

Some of the infuriated residents allegedly held hostage the MMC and the Ward 100 councillor, Rosina Mosito, during the bylaws contravention meeting on 4 March.

MMC Ngobeni addressed them and promised to seek an amicable solution to the problem.

Residents have incepted the Cosmo City Task Team (CCTT) structure to liaise with the City about this plight and ensure consultation was done appropriately.

The City has since stopped issuing notices until further discussions with residents.

Stakeholder relations manager from the MMC’s office Poppy Louw said the letters were standard contravention notices from their Building Control and Land Use departments.

“However, the notices have been put into effect, following a discussion with the community and pending further engagements,” she said.

She indicated that the intention of the notices was to encourage residents to comply with the City’s bylaws.

The department has participated in extensive engagements, including meetings and workshops, with residents of Cosmo City since November last year to help educate them on the City’s building and land use bylaws to encourage and enhance compliance.

She said the department remains in regular communication with resident and business organisations within the area.

Also read: DA promises residents title deeds

The chairperson of the newly started CCTT said their committee will communicate with all stakeholders including property owners, residents and the City to communicate these issues.

“All along the City knew that people were building back rooms, why give people the house key and only educate them later?” he asked.

He said their committee would ensure that no one was victimised.

“We need to ensure that there is proper consultation with all residents in our area,” he said.

He said most residents were not aware that a certain procedure should be followed before building houses.

“They cannot demolish other people’s investments. It must be discussed and ensure that there is not any single person who is victimised,” he said.

The committee’s spokesperson, Richard Ranwashe, said they would continue to communicate with the City.

“Some of the homeowners do not work and rely on those houses for income. The issue of back-room houses is all over Gauteng and why only Cosmo City?” asked Ranwashe.

Details: City of Johannesburg, 011 407 6695.

Four men wanted for supermarket robbery COSMO CITY – Shop owner devastated after burglary and robbery at his shop.

Cosmo City businessman, Chalhv Ali, with the cement post that was used to break through his shop wall.

COSMO CITY – A Cosmo City businessman Chalhv Ali (31) is counting his losses after his mini supermarket was burgled and he was robbed at knifepoint in the early morning of 7 March.

Ali, a supermarket owner, told our sources that the four suspects used a cement post to break through the shop’s wall, where he was sleeping with his wife and four-month-old baby.

“We were awoken when the suspects broke a hole through the brick wall using a cement pole. The two suspects entered the shop, held us at knifepoint and looted the shop,” said Ali.

He added that the suspects made off with R6 700, important documents and his two smartphones. He also had to hire a local builder to repair the wall.

A devastated Ali said the incident has shaken all other business owners in the area.

“We are worried that these criminals will start planning attacks on other businessmen,” Ali explained.

He also mentioned that they now rely on the police to help them because when they fight back against the criminals, they are either victimised by the community or arrested by the police.

Honeydew police spokesperson Captain Balan Muthan said a case of business robbery and damage to property is being investigated.

Cosmo City - Have you seen Donald? Last seen by female friend.

Donald Moselakgomo

Last seen by female friend.

30-year-old Donald Moselakgomo has been missing since 27 February.

He is tall and slim, has brown eyes and is bald. He weighs about 90kg and is 1,68m tall. He has scars on the back of his head. Moselakgomo was last seen by a female friend in Cosmo City between 6pm and 8pm on the day he went missing. He was wearing blue jeans and a Studio 88 T-shirt.

Anyone with any information about his whereabouts can contact detective Sergeant Duma on 011 801 8400.

Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.

Gautrain expansion between Sandton and Cosmo City station at Randburg ,will have ‘significant socio-economic development benefits’

The expansion of the Gautrain rail network has the full backing of the province’s road and transport department as it will have “significant socio-economic development benefits”.

MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi said the project is estimated to create 211,000 jobs in construction and will have a R19 billion procurement spend on black-owned entities.

Furthermore, it will increase black ownership of companies in the rail sector.

The department said the expansion project will have a strong focus on local content in the supply chain, as well as increase capacity in the rail sector through skills development.

Feasibility study

The Gauteng Management Agency (GMA) has completed the feasibility study on the extension of the Gautrain rail network.

Results of the study supports the principle of an extension of the Gautrain rail network and outlines the preferred routes that should be developed.

“The Gauteng Provincial Government believes that that extension of the Gautrain rail network and the modernisation of the Prasa Metrorail system must be supported if rail-based public transport is to grow to the required levels to prevent urban sprawl and unsustainable road congestion in the province,” Vadi said.

“This project gives access to private sector funds locally and internationally as well as opportunities for innovation and world-best-practice during design, construction, operations and maintenance,” he added.

The feasibility study on the extension of the Gautrain rail network has been submitted to Provincial and National Treasuries and to major stakeholders that were consulted during the feasibility process.

Vadi said the feasibility study concludes that the extension of the Gautrain rail network will provide significant economic and transport related benefits to the province and the country at large.

It also suggested that the expansion will offer value for money and appropriate risk transfer if procured as a public-private partnership.

“Demand modelling was done to determine transport needs for Gauteng in 2025 and 2037,” Vadi said. “Through the modelling process it became clear that the ‘cost of doing nothing’ in the province will lead to major road congestion in 2037, at which stage cars will travel at an average of 15 kilometres an hour due to doubling of car growth,” Vadi said.

The feasibility study identified the following main links and stations of the Gautrain rail network extensions:

The link between Jabulani via Cosmo City and Samrand to Mamelodi. Stations include Roodepoort, Little Falls, Fourways, Sunninghill, Olievenhoutsbosch, Irene, Tshwane East and Hazeldean.

The link between Sandton and Cosmo City has a station at Randburg.

The link between Rhodesfield and Boksburg. There will be a station at East Rand Mall and a possible link-up with the OR Tambo International Airport Midfield terminal development.

A future link from Cosmo City to Lanseria Airport.

Due to the magnitude and complexity of the project, it will be split into five phases.