Tenants of the Ekurhuleni Housing Company allegedly were shot, injured and subsequently hospitalised, prompting a massive demonstration disrupting the State of the City Address.
Residents protested the lack of amenities provided at their Germiston rental units.
Occupants of the Delville, Pharoah Park, and other Ekurhuleni complexes protested outside the council chambers, disrupting the State of the City Address at the OR Tambo Precinct on March 27.
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This was a means for residents to demonstrate their frustrations and anger about the recent power outages, and the ongoing gunfire between security companies stationed at the complexes.
Robert Makhokha one resident, said they had several issues that needed the mayor‘s intervention.
“For the past week, security personnel were deployed to these complexes. They are armed to the teeth with big guns and tear gas.
“We had no communications from officials about the security. We have our security and we don’t have a problem with them.
“The armed new security wants to police us; they want to be obeyed. They cannot walk around our premises with big guns, shooting at anyone who does not comply with them.
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“We have children in these complexes. Where is our safety as residents when we are getting abused, shot at, threatened and attacked?
“They went to the Delville complex and destroyed the power boxes. The residents there are now without power – that is a municipal property they smashed.
“We wanted the mayor to listen to us and give an order to remove this security for our safety, “ said Makhokha.
Makhokha added the residents are also gatvol of the city’s management, ducking and diving when they have to give them title deeds for their rent-to-buy houses.
“When we first got the leases, it stated we were renting to buy the properties. Now the EHC CEO wants to give us new leases that state we will continue to rent the flats from the city,“ said Makhokha.
“There are tenants who have been living here since the 90’s. The EHC/city has given them different leases each time one expires.
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“As a result, we have stopped paying those bond-like fees, and others subsequently stopped paying municipal fees.
“The security came to say they are here for an audit, just them and no other official, which we refused. They continue to terrorise us daily as long as stationed at our complexes.
“They shoot our members; some of them are at the hospital wounded and others are fighting for their lives,” said Makhokha.
One resident said the lease said after four years they would buy the properties.
“We now want the title deeds for those properties, as they should be legally ours. We have formed a residents’ committee to have a leadership that will speak on our behalf, but the city does not acknowledge it.
“On December 10, we signed a petition with our grievances, but no response. I have been a resident since 2014, per our lease I already paid beyond what I was supposed to but still no title deeds.
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“When we apply for RDP houses, these addresses show in the system. It states that we are already beneficiaries of RDPs.
“The situation is now terrifying; we do not sleep well at night. We are using dustbins to barricade the road, so the security would not pass and took turns patrolling at night.
“Some members were arrested and released for no reason.”
As the day progressed, the mayor concluded the delivery of his State of the City Address and attended the protesters.
The leaders explained to him their challenges but were so irate, they booed him off the stage.
