Lasca calls for scrapping of household debt during march to Tshwane House

Hundreds of disgruntled Lasca members and partner organisations are calling for the writing off of household debt for property worth up to R280 000.

This among several other demands was listed in a memorandum handed over to MMC of Human Settlements Ofentse Madzebatela at Tshwane House.

The march on Tuesday sought a response to the one Lasca (Lotus Gardens, Atteridgeville and Saulsville Civic Association) organised on November 10, 2023, to which the metro had asked for a time extension to respond.

Lasca has given the metro yet another seven days to respond to the memorandum handed over or members believe they will have to disrupt the metro to be heard.

“This is a crime scene. If you owe R50, they’ll send the metro police to your door,” said Lasca chairperson, Tshepo Mahlangu referring to Tshwane House.

Mhlangu and the metro have been bumping heads in recent weeks as it accused him of inciting violence and calling for residents not to pay their rates.

“You’ve been intimidated to pay bills that you have no idea about. There has been some spokesperson here running to the media and accusing me of telling people not to pay and calling Lasca members my disciples and I’m not here representing myself. They forgot who’s paying their salaries, we’re not going to take nonsense anymore,” said Mahlangu.

Madzebatela encouraged the residents to continue paying their rates bill during his short address to the crowd while accepting the memorandum on behalf of the metro, much to the displeasure of the residents.

“We are encouraging all residents to continue to pay their bills because it’s important. The city is in serious financial distress, we saw during the strike what happens when the city collapses we are the ones who suffer the most. Those who can pay must pay. We pay for everything that we use, there’s nothing for free. We buy water from Rand Water, and electricity from Eskom, there’s nothing that we get for free. For everything we consume, we must pay for,” Madzebatela said.

The MMC promised the metro would respond to the memorandum within the Lasca seven-day deadline.

Other demands listed in the memorandum include:

– Scrapping of dumpsites in favour of skip bins

– Contracted meter readings

– Installing smart meters

– Fast-tracking the indigent application approval from six to three months

– Cancelling debt collector contracts with immediate effect

– Prepaid meters to be installed in informal settlements and hostels

– By-law enforcement in local spaza shops among many others

Other organisations in attendance with Lasca residents included the PAC, Azapo, ATM, ARRM, NFP, MK, ELF, Bosa, Into Yethu movement, Xiluva and Soweto Parliament.

Leaders and representatives of these organisations were very vocal about their discontent regarding the current administration.

“We are in this situation because the government of today hates black people. You won’t find a single white person standing in solidarity here with Lasca. If you can look at Tshwane, areas that have service delivery are white and those without, are black,” said Xiluva president Norman Mohale.

“The people claiming to represent you and me are deciding how to sell the city and enrich themselves. At this council meeting coming up, they are not talking about Hammanskraal, they want to talk about Wonderboom airport.”

Canaan Mdletshe of the NFP called out the current DA-led coalition for a lack of service delivery in townships as well, saying that the problems Tshwane faces are similar to their own.

“We are not surprised by what is happening in Tshwane because, in every city run by the DA, black people are cast aside. Anyone standing here that votes for the DA, your ancestors will turn in their graves,” Mdletshe said.

Comrade Dudu of Azapo echoed the sentiments of the previous speakers, stating that the metro will not continue to “victimise” black residents and called for the scrapping of all debt for poor households.

“We as Azapo, as Lasca and as the entire community of Tshwane are saying that we will follow in the footsteps of Steve Biko, stand up for the black community and say enough. We won’t tolerate being victimised by this administration any longer, we want all debt cleared now,” she said.

The metro is expected to respond to the memorandum next week.

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