The coloured community of Westbury demands to be included in the local economy

The large group gave local businesses and hospitals 14 days to respond to a memorandum of demands to remove obstacles to hiring local workers.

June 21, 2023

Emily Wellman Bain 1 minute read

Protesters outside the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital in Corronationville. Photo: Emily Wellman Bain

The coloured community of Westbury has given local hospitals and businesses until June 26 to respond to demands for inclusion in hiring policies.

Large parts of Westdene and Sophiatown were brought to a standstill last week as the large but peaceful group marched handing out a memorandum of demands.

Led by Bishop Dulton Adams, African Christian Democratic Party Gauteng chairperson and member of the provincial legislature, the memorandum of demands was handed to management at Helen Joseph and Rahima Moosa hospitals and businesses along Ontdekkers Road.

The document outlines what the group believes are ongoing and entrenched systems of exclusion of the coloured community from local job opportunities.

Shairley Jordaan holds a protest placard. Photo: Emily Wellman Bain

“This includes being included in the running of government departments, supplier databases and skills development programmes,” said Dulton.

The final stop was the Sophiatown Police Station where the memorandum was handed over to a representative of the Gauteng government, Kenneth Barnes.

Bishop Dulton Adams, African Christian Democratic Party Gauteng chairperson and member of the provincial legislature addresses the protesters. Photo: Emily Wellman Bain

“We request a plan of action to explain what your administration is going to do to restore the confidence we once proudly held that this government would treat us equitably and justly as promised in the South African Bill of Rights,” said Dulton.

With unemployment sitting at almost 40%, the group’s call was, ‘The time has come for us to get off our knees and demand social justice.’