DA speaks on Denver strike

FOLLOWING the strike by George Goch Hostel residents who burnt a truck and a vehicle at Vicker’s Road over ward demarcation, DA Johannesburg East Constituency Head, Jack Bloom, is convinced the demarcation was an attempt by the ANC to win a seat currently held by the IFP.

“The hostels are currently in Ward 65, which is represented by an IFP councillor. Moving them to Ward 118, which is now held by the DA, makes no sense from a geographical point of view as the new ward is strangely shaped and bisected by a railway line,” said Bloom.

The residents of the hostels made it clear to the Southern COURIER that the demarcation was done without the consultation and involvement of the residents. They said they were willing to disrupt the upcoming local elections just to get their views across. They screamed that they were only getting started and would eventually block the road again until this is sorted out.

“It looks like an attempt to gerrymander the wards so that the ANC can win Ward 65. The DA is likely to retain Ward 118 as we had a strong majority there in the last elections, and a largely ANC-supporting area (Malvern) was taken out and put into Ward 65, making it even more likely that the ANC will win that ward instead of the IFP. I visited the area today and I deplore the violence by hostel residents who burnt vehicles and blocked roads. This is not an acceptable way to protest the demarcation. It does appear, however, that there was inadequate consultation and this needs to be rectified so that there is fairness in the ward demarcation,” Bloom said.

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