COUNCIllOr Thapelo Amad

• Councilor Amad was invited to address an SMME graduation ceremony in Jabavu Soweto. The graduation was a collaboration between Rutisa Training Recruitment as well as Soweto and surrounding areas industry Chamber Council and Forum (SSICCF).
• Councillor Thapelo Amad was doing oversight on the commodities affected by flooding in Soweto. He invited the MMC for environment and infrastructure, and the MMC of Johannesburg roads agency to look into stormwater drainage.
• He donated 50 pairs of school shoes at AB Xuma Primary School as part of giving back to the community “giving is not just about making a donation it’s about making a difference”
• He did an Oversight on a dilapidated taxi rank. On routes to and from Eldorado Park, Freedom Park, Ormnende, Ridgeway, and Kliptown. Cllr Amad was able to bring about change. The pipe that has been damaged for 3 years is been attended to by Aljama-ah.
• He did an oversight in the state of readiness at schools with the chairperson of committees in the Gauteng legislature, Sizokele Nkosi-Malobane (MPL) in Diepkloof, Soweto. Amad also donated dignitary packs to students.
• He did an oversight visit at Protea Glen Ext 4 park Development, with Cllr Mokoena and MMC Margaret Arnolds
• The community in ward ten in Protea South had sewerage problems for the past 3 years, Al Jama-ah responded to the community needs in one week thanks to Thapelo Amad and his team
• School readiness programme: JS Mpanza Primary School, & Dumezweni Primary School
• Region E Meeting with MPL Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane & Cllr. Thapelo
• Stakeholder Meeting
• Pretoria leadership
• Supporting the SMME Graduation in Soweto as part of accelerating youth and community empowerment
• School shoe donation: Freedom Park Primary School
• Meeting with Freedom Park Constituencies, “abahlale base Freedom Park”
• Discussions about the contestations for Ward 18 and 29, spoke about issues of the ‘rapid release program’ and the ‘southern farms’. Their issues are mainly to do with housing.
• Oversight: Northway, Kelvin
• Visited the home of the school child that collapsed and passed away whilst in school, Protea GlenPolitical Meeting:
• Discussions of how to move Al Jama-ah forward as well as bringing stakeholders and sponsors on board
• Food Parcels distribution: Dlamini Mosque
• Political Meeting: Follow up on the previous meeting that took place on February 26^th
• State of Readiness for LGE with minority parties, Virtual
• Attended Al Jama-ah Conference
• School shoe donation: McBain Charles Primary School, Eldorado Park
• Palestine Day program at Lenasia Muslim School and the Palestinian embassy
• Political Meeting: Strategic Session for the by-elections and LGE with members as well as councillor candidates
• Political Meeting: A group of representatives from Laudium requested a meeting with the Al Jama-ah leadership in order to deliberate on forming formidable relations moving forward
• Interview: Frequency Exchange, Mzansi Urban Radio
• Food parcel distribution for ex-Pikitup coordinators, Lenasia
• Human Right’s Day Programme with the Black consciousness movement-united (BCUM)
• Political Meeting with critical stakeholders and drafting a forward for the upcoming by-elections and LGE
• Site Visit to the Bree Primary School: Concerns over Illegal connections and overflowing sewerage. School also requests mobile toilets (this to be expedited by SalaaMedia
• Interview: Galaxy TV
• Interview: Alex FM
• Site Visit: Klipspruit with Cllr. Moabi – Flooding
• Site Visit to Westdene with Cllr. Sherman – Dilapidated buildings and illegal connections with congested occupants in buildings
• Political Meeting, Eldos Sub-station, Eldorado Park
• Voter Registration, Kliptown Highschool
• Salaamedia ‘girl child’ empowerment program, Pimville
• Prospective Councillor-candidate visit, Eldorado park, Ward 18
• Attended Drug Rehab roadshow, Eldorado Park
• Ward 7 councillor-candidate meeting and door-to-door
• Meeting with the Eldorado Park Taxi Association
• Meeting with stakeholders: ILAWU
• Meeting with the Gauteng Housing Crisis Committee (GHCC): Their concerns mainly around the Southern Farms and how they can support Al Jama-ah from that angle
• Political Meeting: Stakeholder by-elections collaborative meeting
• Meeting with Musjid in Riverlea Ext. 2: Their meter was removed and had since been without electricity
• Ward 7 door-to-doo
• Slovo Shooting
• A fatal shooting happened in Slovo where a number of people were killed. The community requests political intervention for their safety as they live each day in fear

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENTS

FEBRUARY:
MULUMA: Partnering with the MMC’s office to rollout the CSI and legacy Programmes of the MMC and introduction to key stakeholders that can assist
MULUMA: The introduction of the MMC and the support staff to Advance Cash & Carry
MULUMA: Establish political alliannces with Advance Cash & Carry and sponsorship for CSI Projects
JCCI: To discuss possible collaboration between JCCI and the Department and introduction to the Church of Scientology. Partner in development programmes between the JCCI and the Church of Scientology
SCIFF: Create new partnership with the office of the MMC Development Planning and introduction to Economic Development
SCIFF: The MMC to give a keynote address at the Graduating SMME Graduation and introduction of the MMC to key partners for political reasons (introducing Al Jama-ah to partners) and strengthening relationship
SCIFF: Participation of Development Planning at the upcoming Soweto Construction and Infrastructure Indaba

MARCH:
SCIFF: To participate in the representing the department at the Construction and Infrastructure Indaba. Create awareness of both JDA and DP by taking Development Planning to the People.  Introduced Al-Jama-ah to SCIFF Exco
MULUMA: Introduction of the MMC and Al-Jama-ah to the Eldorado Taxi Association. The Support for the Candidate Councilor for the up-coming by Bi-Election in Eldorado Park. To Foster Relationships with the Eldorado Park Taxi Association

APRIL:
JCCI – PROPERTY CLUSTER: Introducing the MMC to the property cluster CEO’s both for departmental and Political Reasons. Establish political alliances with the property cluster by taking Development Planning to the People

• When councillor Thapelo Amad is not attending council meetings, he visits various communities and distributes food and clothing to the needy and also recruits several new members to AL JAMA-AH.
• Cllr Amad is known to be very vocal in the council meetings as the best interest of the community is top on his list. His active participation in meetings led to the successful renaming of Sandton Drive in Johannesburg to Leila Khalid Drive.
• He was also involved in plans to erect a statue of the late Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) leader, Yasser Arafat, in Soweto. This is one of the agreements made during discussions on bilateral relations between the City of Johannesburg and the City of Ramallah in Palestine.
• He was also part of the meetings between the executive mayor, Cllr Geoff Makhubu and Her Excellency Ambassador Hanan Jararr earlier this month. The mayor also supports plans to establish a museum in Ramallah on the South African struggle against apartheid.
• In addition, Councillor Amad also held discussions with ambassador Jarrar on possible cultural exchanges between South Africa and Palestine.
• Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Development Planning, Cllr Thapelo Amad, recently conducted an oversight visit of the Metro Link building, following its temporary closure in November 2020, as recommended by the Department of Employment and Labour. A service level agreement between Development Planning and the Johannesburg Property Company has since been finalised and signed, and priority has been sought for maintenance work to commence as soon as possible
• Al-Jamah by-elections campaign in Ward 9 + Ward 17 strategy.
• Al-Jamah membership drive in Ward 9 + Ward 17, Ward 7.
• Al-Jamah constitution explained and presented to Ward 9 + Ward 17 communities, business stakeholders, volunteers engaged.
• The party is bigger than any individual, processes need to be transparent. Consultations needs to take place, communication is key!’
• Gauteng to work on the ground to establish Al-Jamah branches.
• Gauteng target is to field 75 candidates in 150 Wards.
• Attended P S Mlekgotla in North West and engage PSM as a collective.
• A collective programme of action was discussed and adopted.
• The principles of Al-Jamah needs to be upheld at all times.
• Gauteng and Tshwane to support structures need to be revised and strengthened, need to build the Gauteng region.
• A conducive platform for future discussions was discussed.
• Dialogue engagements active in Ward 9 + Ward 17.
• Media engagements active in Ward 9 and Ward 17.
• Provincial leadership taking on transformation.
• Civic education implemented on the values of Al-Jamah in communities.
• Priority is given to service delivery/lack of service delivery.
• Community outreach programs activated on Lenasia, Protea North, Newclare, Eldorado Park.
• Assist in disaster management crisis by providing food aid and clothing donations.
• Public participation took place in Ward 7, Ward 9, Ward 17 and Ward 120.
• Feeding schemes established in Ward 17, Ward18 and Ward 58.
• Mobilised business communities and introduced Al-Jamah to them.
• Create awareness IRO campaigning/actual impact on the ground.
• Strategy on impacting.
• Support ex-Pikitup workers, IRO absorption, IRO CCMA a Ward issued in 2011 – Al-Jamah rallying behind workers.
• Memorandum of demand handed over to executive mayor for implementation.

Summary of Hon.Thapelo Amad interview on Eldo FM:

Presenter: How does Al Jama-ah combat corruption? Councillor Thapelo Amad had the following to say:

“When we go into the community we look into the representation. And, we identify the individual who understands the context of the community, and that is how we build up branches.
“Corruption, how do we combat corruption? Your votes determine your future. Any other party doesn’t represent corruption. But when we go out and vote for those leaders, we as voters, we need to thoroughly scrutinise who the leaders are so we can question their integrity.
“Al Jama-ah stands for justice, fairness, equity. If people go out there and vote for people who are criminals, obviously you can’t combat corruption in this way.
“It is our responsibility to vote for those of good moral, of a high moral value. Our ethos is derived from religious principles. We represent all communities, and the people who represent us are people of good moral, good principles.”