Protest erupts at Cedar Road sod-turning ceremony

Infuriated residents from Kya Sand informal settlement attempted to interrupt the MEC for roads and transport, Ismail Vadi, during a sod-turning event to launch phase 2 of the Cedar Road upgrade in Fourways, valued at R87 million, reports the Randburg Sun.

Protesting residents gathered at the construction site gate while singing struggle songs in an attempt to interrupt the MEC from delivering his speech on March 2.

The protest leader, Billy Modikwe, said residents from the informal settlement were not given an opportunity to be part of the project as jobs were given to people outside their wards.

“We are here to hear from the province about this project as it belongs to our ward but the councillor appoints his own people and that is nepotism,” Modikwe said.

He claimed that, as a community, they were not benefiting at all from the project, adding that negotiations with the contractors had failed.

“We are here to give the MMC of transport a memorandum and, if that does not work, we will close the project down.”

During his speech, Vadi asked the protesters to be patient and realise that the project would benefit everybody and not just people who supported a particular political party.

“We must properly consult with the community and we do know that there are three affected wards and it must be so that all wards benefit from the project,” Vadi said.

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He also apologised and conceded that perhaps consultation with the community did not satisfy everybody.

The Kya Sand protesters handed a memorandum over to the MEC, who signed it.

– Caxton News Service

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