ANC ‘incites’ street protests
The ruling party has been accused of being behind the upsurge in violent ‘rolling mass action’ protests across Gauteng – as a way of attacking the DA in metros where the ANC has lost power.
City passes responsibility for promised development in the area to province, residents boil over.
Now they [City of Tshwane] have changed their tune and say the development of this area lies with the province. William Maila South African National Civic Organisation
Athick mist of tear gas fumes hovered over Gomorrah in Pretoria West yesterday as the fourth service delivery protest in the capital this week unleashed more havoc, with land invaders accusing government of making false promises.
Starting at about 1am, some 1 000 residents of the informal settlement barricaded major routes in the area, burning tyres and pelting rocks and calling on Gauteng MEC for corporate governance, traditional affairs and human settlements Paul Mashatile to give them answers.
The capital city is now continuously seeing protesters demand restoration of dignity and service delivery, with a similar demonstration happening just days before in neighbouring Atteridgeville township.
Like in Atteridgeville where two buses were torched, Gomorrah residents burned two bakkies, a minibus taxi, a truck and a horticulture centre used by Tshwane University of Technology. Police fired rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas in a bid to quell the destruction.
Chairperson of ward 55, South African National Civic Organisation’s William Maila, said they had not suspected they would lose faith in the provincial and local government leaders who had promised the area would be developed in the current financial year.
“Now they [City of Tshwane] have changed their tune and say the development of this area lies with the province. According to Tshwane member of the mayoral committee of housing and human settlements Mandla Nkomo, the province was going to provide power of attorney to the municipality in two weeks so it can start the development. Those two weeks have lapsed. This is why we are calling on Mashatile to get here,” he said.
The large group aggressively rejected the media’s presence, surrounding a burning building where journalists had retreated for safety.
Gauteng chief director for water and sanitation Joshua Ngonyama was escorted through the crowd in a police Nyala to address community leaders. He said a steering committee would be established to address their issues and the city would receive the power of attorney immediately.
Mayor Solly Msimanga said in a statement that the city had allocated a budget of R34 million in the 2017-18 financial year to construct water and sewer service infrastructure in the area, including to service the informal settlement.
A group in Soshanguve also protested and marched to municipal offices yesterday demanding electricity while residents in Mamelodi took to the streets with the same demand on Wednesday.