Thembisa memorandum and strike not aligned

Angry Thembisa residents assembled on July 20 at the Rabosotho grounds in front of the police station and magistrate’s court to march from Thembisa to executive mayor Tania Campbell’s office in Germiston to deliver a memorandum outlining grievances.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Thembisa roads blocked due to protest action

The march soon turned violent.

The hike in tariffs was one of the concerns raised by the demonstrators who claimed the high cost of living made it hard to afford the new rates.

Xolani Mnisi, communications officer for the Thembisa Community Forum said the forum organised and led the march in the hope of having their complaints acknowledged and addressed.

Mnisi said due to a misunderstanding among the locals regarding the march, the intended peaceful march turned violent which the forum’s organisers were not prepared for nor endorsed.

“One group, which was not part of the forum congregated at about 02:00 and thought the march was a local shutdown.

“This led to residents erecting barricades, setting tyres on fire and throwing stones on the streets of Thembisa.”

According to Mnisi, the forum held many meetings with the community to outline the purpose of the march.

“We were hosting a legally recognised march.

“There was some misunderstanding between those who were going towards Germiston and others who believed it was a shutdown.

“Residents are really gatvol.

“Some of Thembisa’s residents then decided to cause riots. Unfortunately, most of us, if not all of us, were already in Germiston.

“The TCF wants to express its condemnation of the violence that occurred, because it was not at all what we intended.”

The EMPD took to Andrew Mapheto Drive and George Nyanga Drive firing rubber bullets at civilians spreading mayhem in the area during what was supposed to be a peaceful march.

Chief Superintendent Kelebogile Thepe said the department was informed of the march as the forum organisers requested the EMPD to accompany them to the mayoral offices.

“What we received about the march allowed us to make plans and take into account what was intended.

“In addition, the forum submitted an application in terms of the gathering act where it was decided by the community to have a peaceful demonstration at the Germiston precinct.

“However, things did not go as planned because some members of the community used violence to express their frustrations damaging one of our vehicles.

“Our First Responder Unit (FRU) members were dispersed to safeguard the community. Despite the riots, our team has managed to keep things under control.

“The remainder of the marchers were led to the mayor’s office for an appointment where they delivered the memorandum.

“Upon arrival in Thembisa, the forum organisers were able to calm them down and speak with the residents who then adjourned and left us to clean up and release the blocked roadways.
“There were no reported injuries or arrests,” said Thepa.

According to Mnisi, upon their arrival, the mayor allegedly treated the community’s complaints about service delivery with “a great deal of snobbery”.

“The mayor knew we were coming. This was our third protest. In our initial encounter, we failed to bring a memorandum and were advised to do so.

“We delivered a memo to the MEC of Health for our second time in April. Our complaints were not addressed.

“We then decided to bring the entire community to them so they could hear it straight from them.

“The mayor explained that the price of goods and services like food and gasoline increased, which is why the rates increased.

“However, the issue is that their practices and the way they tax the community’s underprivileged residents are unfair.

“She asked for a meeting with the community on July 29 when hopefully they will address the complaints raised,” said Mnisi.

In a statement issued by Campbell, she gave the undertaking that the CoE would move quickly to resolve the issues.

“The metro will see what we can do to support the community in this regard even though some of the problems, such as gasoline prices and Eskom tariffs, were outside of the city’s scope of control,” stated Campbell.

“The CoE and marchers agreed to a meeting on July 29 in Thembisa where the municipality will be expected to respond to the issues raised in the memorandum of demands.

The CoE appeals for peace and stability in the Thembisa while solutions to their grievances are being sought,” said CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.

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