Angry residents block roads over poor service delivery
"Only 84 of 409 houses were built in 2007 and handed over to the beneficiaries in 2008.”
Web-header: Ekuthuleni residents block roads and demand services
KwaThema – Residents of Ekuthuleni Informal Settlement blocked roads with rocks and burning tyres and looted foreign-owned stores along Mohlala and Baduza streets, demanding services on Monday morning.The angry residents prevented learners from going to school and threw stones at passing traffic in the area.
The residents say they have been waiting for 18 years to receive their promised RDP houses but not anymore.
Committee chairperson Phillip Mthembu says they are sick and tired of waiting for services and being fed empty promises by the municipality.
“In 2000, a group of residents were moved out of the informal settlement to make way for re-blocking.
“This included electrifying, installing running water, sewerage and construction of RDP houses.
“Only 84 of 409 houses were built in 2007 and handed over to the beneficiaries in 2008.”
He says when they followed up on the outstanding houses in 2016, they were told by the municipality that it only had R20-million for re-blocking and could not afford to build houses.
“We refused this because we were previously promised houses.“We wanted to know what happened to the money that was meant for the 325 houses.“The municipal official told us if we are not interested in the serviced stands, there was nothing they can do.
“We were told to either continue staying on stands without services or move onto the stands without houses.
“We could not take this because we know there was a budget set for the RDP houses.
“They must deliver,” he says.Mthembu added that since the stands they were moved to in 2000 have no services, they are forced to connect water and electricity illegally.
“The municipality keeps calling the police and red ants to remove the illegal connections.
“We can longer endure staying in the dark with no clean running water.
“We are also the residents of this country and deserve basic services,” he says.
Ward 74 councillor Thulani Simelane confirms that only 84 houses were built in the area.
“The overflow of residents will be moved to Rietfontein where they will receive RDP houses.”
Simelane says he has been meeting with the committee members in the area on a monthly basis to update them on the developments in connection with their grievances.
“We have been updating the community committee leaders on the developments with officials from different departments.”
KwaThema police spokesperson Captain Thabo Sibuyi says no one has been arrested.
“We are calling on residents to refrain from damaging public infrastructure and looting shops during protests because this is a criminal offence.
“Those found committing such illegal activities will be arrested and charged accordingly,” he says.
