Blackburn protest threats

PROTEST, or face having your electricity poles cut.

That’s the threat a Blackburn resident said he and other families had received from violent protesters in the area, north of Durban, on Monday.

Disgruntled residents of an informal settlement in the area took to the N2, burning tyres and bringing north-bound traffic to a standstill.

The protests continued on Tuesday (yesterday) with about 100 people complaining about service delivery, said police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane.

He said police were monitoring the situation but no arrests had been made.

According to the resident who claims he was threatened, about 20 Indian families live in formal homes surrounded by squatters. He has lived in Blackburn for more than 60 years.

About 10 000 people live in the area, once a farming community.

“For now the issue is over electricity,” he said, declining to be named for fear of victimisation.

“People have been without electricity for five days and they have been protesting. People voted in the local government elections and were promised the world,” he said.

“Those of us with electricity were also told to protest or face having our electricity poles cut.”

The man said he felt bad for the informal dwellers who lived “very uncomfortably”.

DA councillor Heinz de Boer said that during the municipal demarcation process Blackburn was added to Ward 35. “It… (was) part of Ward 102.” De Boer now oversees uMhlanga, La Lucia, Glen Ashley, Gateway and Blackburn.

“We did a bit of work in Blackburn before the election and it seemed peaceful. On Sunday we were scheduled to visit the area, walk about and talk with the residents about the issues they face,” he said.

“Housing, electricity and refuse collection are some of the service delivery issues.”

But De Boer said his party had received “credible information” that if they went to the area they would be attacked.

“We decided to call off the visit and wait for things to calm down.”

De Boer said he had received “conflicting information” as to why protests were taking place.

“The electricity has been off for five days. We hear they want electricity and that there are rival groups within the informal settlement stem ming from political connotation, and that a small group of people are instigating this.

“The majority want service delivery.”

De Boer said it was difficult to offer service delivery when people were protesting.

“We have started (addressing) the service delivery issues,” he said.

“On Monday I met with DSW (Durban Solid Waste) regarding refuse collection.”

There was also a “relocation process” whereby some residents were going to be moved to the Cornubia housing development, he added

De Boer said he had reported the grievances to the city’s management but had not yet received a response.

“It is unfortunate that I have to use a police escort, because police would rather be catching criminals than guarding councillors,” he said.