Johannesburg mayor insists on 'shock and awe' plan for city

Johannesburg

JOHANNESBURG'S new mayor, Herman Mashaba, said that international aid agencies must help to care for undocumented foreigners that he plans to evict from inner city buildings in a bid to attract private investment to rebuild South Africa's economic hub.

Mr Mashaba, 57, said he's planning to use "shock and awe" tactics to drive out occupants living illegally in some of Johannesburg's buildings, despite warnings by human-rights activists and legal experts that his plans may be unconstitutional. Because the municipal administration doesn't have the resources to look after those who are evicted, the national and provincial governments as well as the United Nations and international aid agencies will have to step in and provide accommodation, he said.