Man killed in service delivery protest
NEWCLARE – Newclare protest turns into a riot as a train station is set on fire and the community turns into black versus coloured rivalry.
Several roads in and around Newclare, north-west of Johannesburg, have been closed off due to a service delivery protest.
The planned protest began at 1am.
One resident has been killed and two others injured.
“The guard shot in the air a few times and then he shot the guy that died,” recalls resident Paul Kruger.
The shooting occurred subsequent to protesters moving into the Newclare train station and setting it on fire.
Numerous roads were closed and Griffith Road was a no-go area as tyres were burned, stones thrown and people chanted as they protested.
“We had a meeting yesterday and decided that we will protest so that someone can listen to us, we are tired of waiting,” says Newclare resident Landi Sibutha.
Newclare residents were promised houses in 2002. Twelve years later, none of the houses in the area have been completed.
Sibutha adds that “the government said they will build RDP houses for us and that is why we have to take matters into our own hands; maybe if we take action like this then they will do something.”
Resident and protestor Ntombinkosi Johnson says, “we want the government to build us houses. We have been waiting for a long time, our children are getting germs and this area is underdeveloped.”
The Katara Housing Project began in 2002 but illegal occupations began as a result of its non-completion.
“I had a meeting with the illegal occupants…they were threatened with eviction but are still in the houses and that is why some of the community members are angry,” says Ward 82 councillor Susan Stewart.
“I think the people are angry and have now taken to the streets to publicly protest,” she says.
The deceased was allegedly not involved in the protest.
Stewart passed her heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased.
Sophiatown Police Station spokesperson TJ de Bruyn says, “When the protest started, the police came and dispersed the crowd with rubber bullets, protestors moved to Claremont were they were also dispersed”.
Several arrests have been made.
Can we get an update about the steps forward since we feel unsafe as our houses are next to the Rent house. They threw our rubbish bin in front of our houses and burnt our dust bins which makes us feel unsecured in our residents.