Mayor Herman Mashaba has announced that the City of Johannesburg will provide CCTV coverage to Vilakazi Street.

“Criminals will not control our lives. They will not hijack us‚” Mashaba said when he visited Sakhumzi’s restaurant in Soweto on Tuesday. The restaurant’s general manager was killed in a weekend robbery.

“I am going to ensure the installation of security cameras along Vilakazi Street to help with keeping business safe and operational.”

The mayor said the city needed to secure Vilakazi Street and other economic hubs in the City so it could reach its goal of 5% economic growth and reduce unemployment.

“We won’t allow criminals to intimidate our businesses and livelihood.

“This Sakhumzi tragedy is a countrywide problem. We must help these businesses succeed. We must make sure residents and tourists feel safe‚” the mayor said.

Mashaba also said he would have discussions with the provincial police commissioner to ensure that the best people are deployed to investigate the attack on the Sakhumzi eatery.

Sharon Peetz‚ Member of the Mayoral Committee‚ (MMC) for Economic Development‚ tweeted her pleased response to the announcement‚ intended to safeguard what she called the “tourism jewel of South Africa“.