AFTER protesting on August 22 in an attempt to force Mayor Herman Mashaba to listen to their grievances, residents of South Hills took to the streets again on August 24 over the allocation of the new houses at South Hills development complex.
The residents gathered at 3am with the intention of shutting down all roads to South Hills. Motorists were forced to use other alternative routes as Outspan, South Rand, Southern Klipriversberg and North roads were closed in order to force the mayor to listen to them.
Read: [VIDEOS + GALLERY]: Angry protesters cause chaos in South Hills
Residents barricaded roads with burning tyres, bricks, tree branches, garbage and mattresses.
Rubber bullets were fired by JMPD to scare residents. No one was reportedly harmed. Schools, the clinic, local shops, and Steeledale Pick n Pay were also forced to close down.
“We are tired of living like this. Our demands are not considered important. Some of us have been living in South Hills since 1984, but no one has helped us. We protest now because the mayor is giving people houses who are from other wards,” said Dumi Mathebula.
On top of their list of demands, they want Ward 57 councillor Faeeza Chame to vacate her position, claiming she has failed the community.
Chame said the newly elected South Hills steering committee and herself engaged with the MMC of housing and the director of allocations to see how best the house allocation debacle in South Hills can be resolved.
“The allocation process is only for 1996 and 1997 applicants, the waiting list currently stands at nearly 5 000 people that still need to get houses.
“On the South Hills project 202 houses was for free giveaways and 1 900 still needs to be allocated. We agreed the residents must come forward with their applications for verification where they will be screened to see if they qualify to be accommodated. House giving is a very serious issue at this present time and we understand that people are emotional,’’ she said.
The councillor further said she is pleading with residents to not take the law unto themselves and wait for the housing department to come back with the verification results.
Moffat View SAPS spokesperson Jeff Phora said: “We arrested 25 people and they will be charged with public violence.’’
Also Read:
WATCH: Total shutdown in South Hills
WATCH: Chaos at key handover ceremony at South Hills development
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