Ivory Park, Ebony Park city officials removed from offices by protesters

City of Johannesburg metro officials in Ivory Park, Ebony Park, Mayibuye, and Rabie Ridge have been forced to close doors after they were threatened by protesters on Thursday.

The city officials were forcefully removed from their offices by protestors who demanded services to be halted until their demands were met. Councillor Funzela Ngobeni said she was shocked when she learnt the news that protesters forced city officials to stop work for the day.

She said the reason behind the protests was believed to be linked to a housing issue. Business operations have been suspended in the areas after management intervened and sent employees home for their safety.

Should the matter persist on Friday, city revenue services pay points in Ivory Park, Rabie Ridge, and Mayibuye will be suspended until further notice. Officials will be dispatched to other offices within the region.

Ngobeni said the city could not put the lives of staff members at stake. “We understand the frustration behind the demands, however, violent behaviour is never a solution.”

Ivory Park residents vowed to shut down the department of housing until their demands were met.

Several roads in and around Ivory Park and Rabie Ridge were barricaded with rocks and burning tyres by protesters demanding land for housing according to the Midrand reporter.

One of the community leaders of Ivory Park Ext. 2, Calvin Lebotse, said the government had made endless promises to give them decent housing.

“We need land where we can stay,” Lebotse said.

“Since 1993, we have been staying in informal settlements. There’s no water and sanitation. When there’s a fire, all of the shacks burn.”

The police were on the scene to ensure no public properties were damaged.

The residents threatened not to vote in the upcoming elections if there was no intervention by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

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