Goodhope calls on Makhura or Ramaphosa to help following empty promises by the metro
After the metro failed to address the demands of residents from the Goodhope informal settlement following their May 16 and 17 protest, residents once again took to the streets in protest.
Rubber bullet casings, broken tree branches, debris, a cloud of smoke and fires dying out in the middle of the roads
surrounding the Goodhope informal settlement told the story of the frustrations endured by the community.
Following unmet service delivery requests to the metro by the residents of Goodhope, the community once again took to the streets to protest on Monday.
During the demonstration which started at 2am, Knights and Lower Boksburg roads were blocked with debris and fires.
Residents said police arrived at about 5am and at 8am shot at demonstrators with rubber bullets.
Motorists were advised to avoid the area.
When journalists from the Germiston City News and sister newspaper Bedfordview and Edenvale NEWS visited the scene of the demonstration the situation was calm as SAPS and EMPD monitored the situation.
“Abahlali baseMjondolo started the protest and community members joined in because we are tired of being overlooked by the metro.
“We do not have running water, any electricity or working toilets in our households.
“We have been listening to the metro’s promises from 1995 and nothing has been done about our demands,” said January Maleme, a Goodhope resident.
ALSO READ: Residents of Goodhope informal settlement tired of empty promises and false hope
A statement released on Monday morning by Abahlali baseMjondolo, a shack-dwellers’ movement well known for its campaigning against evictions and for public housing, stated their urgent need for land and housing has continuously been ignored by the metro.
This is why they occupied the land between Delmore Gardens and Delmore Park, where they were recently evicted from by the EMPD.
Nomnikelo Sigenu, a representative from the Abahlali baseMjondolo organisation, said, “We decided to protest again because we have constantly been let down by the metro.
“The leadership in Ekurhuleni has lied to us and made empty promises for years, so we do not want to engage in any negotiations with them as they are fruitless and disappointing.”
Community members protested in a similar fashion last Wednesday night (May 16), continuing into Thursday (May 17), but their leaders were later arrested by the metro when they were asked to come forward and engage in peaceful negotiations.
During the previous protest, concerns over the lack of service delivery were raised.
Residents say since the May 17 protest nothing has improved.
Isaac Mashamati, a resident and father, told the journalists that the promises made in the past were never fulfilled.
“I have lived here for a long time and it has always been like this,” said Mashamati.
“Residents are getting tired, government must do something.
“On May 17 residents were meant to meet municipal officials but they never came.”
Sandila Nxumalo, a resident of Goodhope since 1995, described the living conditions inside Goodhope as poor, dirty and unsafe.
“We can’t keep any food as we have no electricity for fridges,” said Nxumalo.
“Because of the poor living conditions, residents often get sick.”
ALSO READ: Metro and EMPD deny wrongdoing following Goodhope protest
Although community members claim they demonstrated in a peaceful manner, the EMPD and the SAPS Public Order Policing
Unit allegedly used rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
The residents then retaliated by throwing stones at them.
“Today when they asked for our leaders we refused to identify them because all the metro does is call on the EMPD to shoot us and arrest us,” said Sigenu.
“The officers went as far as invading the community while shooting at people and their homes.”
When the GCN contacted the media liaison officer for the EMPD, Kobeli Mokheseng, he said, “We responded to the ongoing protest in Goodhope between 6am and 10am as reports claimed residents were throwing stones at motor vehicles passing on Knights and Lower Boksburg roads.
“The EMPD did not discharge any rubber bullets, we only closed Knights and Simon Bekker roads to ensure the safety of motorists.”
“We do not want to talk to the mayor or Jerry Moimana, the councillor for Ward 93, we want to speak to the premier of Gauteng, David Makhura, or President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“Maybe they will listen to us.
“There is no service plan concerning our area and we are never mentioned in the budget speech.
“The metro once promised to provide 500 flats for the disabled, the elderly and those earning less than R3 500 a month, due to an overflow of people in the community.
“However, this has not been done and it will not resolve our housing issue as many other residents will still remain homeless.
“We want the metro to know we will not desist until we speak to those in higher positions,” said Sigenu.
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When the GCN contacted Const Maxwell Mabunda, spokesperson for the Germiston SAPS, the newspaper was referred to Capt André de Jager, the spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni West Cluster SAPS, who told the GCN the EMPD and the SAPS Public Order Policing Unit were deployed to monitor a protest about housing and service delivery at the Goodhope informal settlement, last Monday morning, and he could not confirm the use of rubber bullets in dispersing the crowd.
While protesting continued, locals were upset that the violence and blockades denied their children the opportunity to get to school on time, which is stressful considering exams are already underway at certain schools.
In addition to concerns raised about service delivery, Mashamati appealed to the government to provide transport for learners in Goodhope.
He said because of the distance some learners are unable to go to school.
The GCN contacted the metro for comment, but none was received at the time of going to press.
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