Klapmuts protesters block road

KLAPMUTS residents continued a protest, started at 5am yesterday, deep into the night against a lack of services and houses and vowed not to stop until their demands had been met.

Earlier, about 450 residents had vented their frustration against a lack of services and houses in a protest that started with barricading of roads.

They marched on the Klapmuts Main Road, burnt tyres, tree stumps and road signs, chanted and sang Struggle songs. They protested about a lack of sanitation, roads and formal housing. They also complained of police using brute force and objected to four residents being detained.

Community leader Malibongwe Gebha said the residents lit small fires on street corners last night: “The people have vowed not to stop until their demands are met.”

Gebha said that some residents on a waiting list for 20 years were promised housing in August last year.

He said police detained four residents injured by rubber bullets. Some residents who were not part of the protest were injured, shot at by police with rubber bullets inside their homes, he said.

Police spokesman Andre Traut could not confirm the four arrests last night.

He said that after residents had gathered on the main road early yesterday and started burning tyres “we took action and maintained order in the area. Police will maintain their presence in the area to monitor the situation”.

On allegations of police brutality, Traut said complaints against officers could be made to station commanders and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.

Unemployed Anneline Damonse, 44, said the municipality had promised her a house since she had moved there in 1989.

“Since I started living in a shack, we were promised houses. We looked forward to having decent toilets, a nice home and running water. This was all just empty promises made,” she said.

Local DA ward councillor Sophia Louw did not arrive to address protesting residents who had demanded she come to explain herself.

Last night Louw said she could not come because she had been at a council meeting. She said residents had presented a petition to her two weeks ago and she had discussed it with them in detail: “They were really happy. All of a sudden we are informed that there will be a protest.”

Louw said 100 families would move into homes by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, in the city centre, more than 400 residents of Samora Machel and Sweet Homes Farm in Philippi marched from Keizergracht Road to the offices of the Human Settlements MEC, Bonginkosi Madikizeli, to hand over a memorandum of demands yesterday.

Shack dwellers’ movement Abahlali baseMjondolo organised the march “because the government has sidelined the poor”, said its provincial chairperson, Mthobela Qona.

“Residents of the area live without toilets and they have been promised formal houses for years now,” Qona said.

Sweet Home Farm community leader Siyamboleka James said they would protest until their demands were met.

Madikizela’s spokesman, Bruce Oom, said the memorandum had been received by the department and would be checked.