Mamelodi, Soweto residents demand decent housing

Emotions flared in Tshwane’s Central Business District (CBD) as protesters demonstrated outside the City Council’s headquarters, demanding proper housing.

Residents accused councillors of a lack of transparency and accountability, among others.

Ward 167 community member, Robert Mthethwa, says they are being taken for granted and their struggles are undermined.

“They know that there is a housing backlog since 1994. From the ANC, to the DA, to the EFF, everybody knows this problem. Why is it that even up till today, no resolve is coming out? It means they are not competent because we have these problems and they are taking people for granted. We put them in nice offices with air conditioning and they get their salaries from ordinary citizens. They are overlooking their own people. It’s heart breaking,” exclaims Mthethwa.

Other community members complained about living without the provision of water for over a year.

Hilda Lefifi, from Skirlek, says they’ve had to dig deep into their pockets to buy water.

“We have an issue with water. The municipality no longer gives us water. They last time we had water was last year September. Every time we need water, we have to dig deep into our pockets and make donations for a tank to be delivered to our community,” says Mme’Lefifi.

She also decried poor infrastructure and dilapidated roads in her area of residence.

“We do not have roads. When we come back from work – the taxis drop us off far from our homes because our road infrastructure isn’t one where a vehicle can travel properly, and safely,” complains Mme’Lefifi.

She wants people in her area to either be relocated or be put on the list of those who will soon be provided with decent homes, saying no human being should be subjected to the appalling conditions they live in.

The EFF joined the protest in solidarity with the community of Mamelodi.

 

The party’s Tshwane chairperson, Bongani Ramnotja, came prepared to fight with authorities and demanded an answer for the residents.

“They must not stop us. We are not scared of the police that are here. They can even call the SANDF (the military) for backup, we are not scared of them. If we have to die, we will die here. If our blood will be shared, it will be shared here. We are not going to leave,” proclaimed Ramontja.

The City of Tshwane has asked the residents to give it two weeks to deliberate on a viable solution to their concerns.

Tshwane MMC for utility Services, France Lesielo, received the protesters’ list of demands.

“We derive mandate from them – that is why when they protest we listen. We are going to come back to them within 15 days to answer to their calls,” MMC Lesielo told journalists.

Tensions died down following an agreement with the protestors to afford the city time.

Ramontja warned that while residents are patient enough to wait, they are also clever enough to retaliate should the city not keep to its promise.

In Johannesburg, members of the Umphakathi Wesizwe, comprising residents from Soweto and other surrounding areas, demonstrated outside Mayor Dada Morero’s office, where they demanded RDP houses and land.

They accused government officials of prioritising foreign nationals while South Africans are living in poverty.

A director in the Joburg Mayor’s office, Phumzile Sithole, received the list of demands from the residents.

Sithole says they can only do so much as the city as some of the issues of the highlighted by the protesters sit with the national government.

The Gauteng residents’ protest comes months before South Africans head to next year local government elections, which could see office bearers who are seen to be failing to deliver on voters expectations, punished at the polls. Written by Odirile Rabolao