Residents of Freedom Park, Eldorado Park and Lehae, took to the streets yesterday to protest against lack of housing, the prepaid electricity system and erratic power supply in the area south of Johannesburg.
Residents say they want stands to build houses on
Angry residents of Soweto have vowed to continue with violent protests, accusing the government of failing to allocate them housing stands.
Protests erupted yesterday in parts of Eldorado Park, Freedom Park and Lehae.
Thabang Makhele, leader of Abahlali Base Freedom Park, said they were angered by the lack of commitment to deal with housing problems.
“After we staged protests last year and met with the government, former MEC for human settlements Paul Mashatile said his department will allocate 48 000 stands to us ... and this was meant to have taken place in November.”
Makhele said communities were against being issued with social houses but would rather have stands allocated to them.
“It takes long for people to move into their homes when they are completed. We don’t want to be put on waiting lists because we have been on them for a long time, they must just give us stands and we will do the rest. These protests will continue until we receive what was promised to us,” he said.
Yesterday, communities barricaded roads with burning tyres and rubble.
Residents also complained of erratic power supply.
Mxolisi Dladla said they often have electricity for only three days a week. “How do you explain having your units used up when you don’t have electricity? It doesn’t make sense, and that’s one of the reasons we are protesting.”
However, Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba yesterday said the protests were politically driven and were aimed at making the city ungovernable.
Meanwhile, human settlements MEC Dikgang Moiloa said they would have an urgent meeting with residents. “I urge residents to work with me and the department. Let us sit down and discuss the issues around development and the current constraints,”