‘We are angry!’
COSMO CITY – Protesters say their ward councillor isn't doing her job.
Early in the morning of 21 February, the streets were filled with protesters at the Multipurpose Centre in Cosmo City.
Police arrived about 4am when the protest started.
“We are not happy, the roads are terrible. Our councillor is not doing her job,” said Joseph Monethi, a concerned resident.
At about 8am, the protesters started burning tyres and put rocks and bricks in the middle of the road.
“We are angry,” the protesters shouted before police started driving them back by shooting rubber bullets above their heads.
The mob then started throwing rocks at officers and members of the media.
Honeydew police spokesperson, Captain Balan Muthan said, “Whenever the community has a problem with a ward councillor, the City, parliament or the government, the individuals of the community should follow the proper channels to resolve the problems and not take it to the street.
“If you have a problem with your councillor, at the end of the day you voted and placed the councillor there. The community should follow the correct process to get rid of the councillor. It’s not necessary to take it to the streets and damage property or to throw rocks that result in the road being closed down.”
The councillor for Ward 100, Rosina Mosito said, “South Africa is a democratic country and all citizens are allowed to exercise their democratic rights. These rights must be exercised in a responsible manner without destroying our infrastructure.”
Mosito added that it was a councillor’s responsibility to represent the views of the community and that a councillor did not have a budget to address service delivery matters.
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