More talk, less protest

MITCHELLS Plain resembles a war zone. Residents of the sprawling suburb have clashed with service delivery protesters from the informal settlement of Siqalo, which borders Colorado Park, Westridge and Philippi.

This week has been notable for the violence and destruction that has resulted in at least one death and a number of arrests for public violence.

Casual observers have claimed a race war is brewing, noting the majority of coloured residents of Mitchells Plain clashing with the predominantly black African residents of Siqalo.

But at the core of the conflict is formal housing residents protecting their property from its destruction at the hands of wanton criminals masquerading as protesters.

Many have been quick to pass this kind of judgement on the protesters, but few have had occasion to reflect on what brought this conflict to a head.

In 2012, Siqalo residents asked for what the constitution of the country promises – basic services like access to running water, sanitation and electricity.

The land they settled on is privately owned, preventing the City of Cape Town from providing these services in line with its mandate. The land owner, when service delivery protests first began, offered to sell his land to the City to provide for the settlers.

The City is yet to take up the offer.

While the Cape Argus cannot condone the violent protests, we need to understand Siqalo’s response to the failure of local government to address the kind of squalor in which these residents live.

Every winter, their homes flood and stormwater brings human waste to their doorsteps, and with it disease and death.

At the same time, residents of Mitchells Plain have every right to be upset by the destruction these violent service delivery protests result in.

But why has the situation been allowed to escalate this far? Why did the City not step in earlier to ease the fears of Mitchells Plain residents, or made provision for the mass emigration from rural areas to the city, perpetuating Cape Town’s housing crisis?

And the most pertinent question: why do the residents of both areas so quickly break down the crisis into an “us and them” scenario?

Such was the success of the apartheid regime that it continues to divide us along psychological and emotive lines, although no longer governed by geography.

There is a peaceful resolution to all of this, but it up to all to work together.

It starts with a conversation.