Masiphumelele residents march for improved service delivery

RESIDENTS of Masiphumelele marched to Fish Hoek sub-council offices yesterday to hand over a memorandum of grievances.

A resident, Lunga Mathambo, said service delivery was one of the problems they faced in the community.

“Every corner in Masiphumelele there is a pile of rubbish and some corners have turned into dump sites.”

Another resident, Dumisani Nhlapo, said a canal in the area was never cleaned and it affected the health of their children who play in it.

Mathambo said another issue they are faced with is housing.

“Whenever we would build shacks on the available wetland the city comes and demolish our homes without giving us an alternative.”

The residents said they are giving the city 14 days to respond to their memorandum and only then will they decide on their next step.

Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana confirmed that Ocean View police attended to the service delivery protest.

Mayco member for informal settlements, water and waste services and energy Xanthea Limberg said the city encouraged peaceful protests and constructive engagements with all stakeholders in Masiphumelele.

She said Masiphumelele was “an incredibly complex and challenging area”.

Limberg said there was an inter-governmental task team to establish remedial measures in order to apply urgency to the service delivery challenges.