De Lille leaves Hout Bay warzone after safety warning
CAPE Town mayor Patricia de Lille wants residents of a Hout Bay township to elect a delegation to meet her before she talks to the community‚ following violent protests.
Yesterday, De Lille stood a few hundred metres from the Imizamo Yethu township protesters‚ who wanted to speak to her about better housing and service delivery.
She left after being advised the situation was too volatile.
Her no-show sparked an angry reaction from the crowd‚ who marched to the entrance of the police station before being dispersed with stun grenades‚ rubber bullets and teargas.
Earlier‚ the protesters looted stores‚ barricaded roads and burnt tyres from about 4.30am onwards.
A man, 30, who was shot in the chest was taken to Victoria Hospital in Wynberg.
Addressing the agitated crowd‚ councillor Bheki Radebe said the mayor had received a police intelligence report that it would not be safe to meet the protesters.
“The mayor is willing to meet with a small delegation and she is willing to do so as we speak‚” Radebe said.
“She wants the community to send representatives to meet her at the Civic Centre because she has been told it is not safe.
“Then, she will address the residents.”
The protests began on Saturday when residents, who had lost their homes in a fire in March, grew fed up with their city-provided temporary housing.
After the fire‚ the city council and the Imizamo Yethu community agreed to rebuild their houses using a method known as super-blocking‚ which would allow for better movement and access‚ particularly in the event of emergencies.
But residents said the project‚ supposed to take three months‚ was overdue and conditions on a sports field where temporary structures were built were dangerous.
“We called it the Three Month Estate because that’s how long the mayor said we’ll be there [sport field]‚ but it’s longer and we’re still there‚” Sithembiso Nadyo said.
“It’s very cold‚ there is water running into the structures and we have to walk very far in the dark to the toilets.”
De Lille said later she had prioritised the problem and appealed to residents to meet and discuss it with their leadership.