Residents of Pharoe Park, a housing project located on the outskirts of the Germiston CBD, marched through the streets of the city on Thursday in protest against poor service delivery and what they deem the exploitation of low-income households.
The protesting residents marched from the Germiston Magistrate’s Court in President Street to the Germiston Civic Centre to hand over a memorandum, escorted by both SAPS and EMPD officers.
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The project, sponsored and managed by the Greater Germiston Inner City Housing Company (GGICH), consists of 437 units – nine bachelor, 142 one bedroom, 221 two bedroom and 65 three bedroom units.
Residents claim that the agent, GGICH, is milking the residents by making the rent too expensive to afford and not maintaining the units.
The march was a result of several unheard attempts by residents for GGICH and the metro to address their issues through meetings and mediation.
The singing and dancing residents were met outside the civic centre by a representative from the offices of the mayor and city chief operating officer (COO).
Before handing over the memorandum it was read out.
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“The houses were donated to help accommodate low-income households and the poorest of the poor.
“We believe we are being milked by our own municipality, the municipality we voted for,” read one of the residents.
Some of the demands included that monthly rentals be decreased so that the residents are able to afford their accommodation, that the units be maintained with the money that has been budgeted by the metro and that GGICH is removed as the agent and that the metro takes charge of Pharoe Park.
The memorandum was accepted by the metro’s representatives, promising to respond to the concerns within seven days.
SAPS and EMPD officers remained on scene to monitor the protestors.
The GCN has requested comment from the metro on the matter.
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