Cops had to keep angry protesters at Peace
Village under control yesterday. Photo
by Thamsanqa Mbovane
~
PUBLIC order police had their hands full when gatvol residents protested in one of the kasi’s busiest streets yesterday morning.
“We want our 15 RDPs – or else!” shouted the angry ward 47 residents of Peace Village in KwaNobuhle kasi, Uitenhage.
They blocked Matanzima Road with burning tyres, mattresses, rubbish and big stones.
When a jikeleza driver ferrying workers pleaded to be let through, an angry protester blasted him: “Your passengers must go home and be unemployed like us!”
Another resident shouted: “We’re tired of waiting! We want these 15 houses!”
The protesters included the 15 stranded families of gogos, their children and grandchildren.
They were left out when RDPs were introduced to the area and claimed that until now, government officials still hadn’t told them why their houses were not built.
The affected families told Daily Sun they’ve been living in leaky shacks and relieving themselves in buckets for over 20 years.
“We don’t know why the 15 houses were excluded from the phase one Peace Village RDP project after 1994,” said gogo Elizabeth Mpetsheni (74).
“This is humiliating. Our children and their children relieve themselves in buckets, just as we did!”
The EFF’s Thembinkosi Mfama (23), whose gogo is among those who have been living in shacks for over 20 years, said her health was getting worse in the damp shack.
Mfama lost ward 47 in the recent by-elections to the ANC’s Nontuthuzelo Skweyiya. “Before the by-election, digging did take place here and underground pipes were put in, paving the way for these RDPs to be built. But now nothing is happening! Skweyiya took over from Loyiso Stemele, but she doesn’t want to talk to us!”
Skweyiya said she called a meeting last week but then residents embarked on protests. “I will call for another meeting and involve the municipality, the provincial human settlements department and housing delivery agent officials.”
“We want our 15 RDPs – or else!” shouted the angry ward 47 residents of Peace Village in KwaNobuhle kasi, Uitenhage.
They blocked Matanzima Road with burning tyres, mattresses, rubbish and big stones.
When a jikeleza driver ferrying workers pleaded to be let through, an angry protester blasted him: “Your passengers must go home and be unemployed like us!”
Another resident shouted: “We’re tired of waiting! We want these 15 houses!”
The protesters included the 15 stranded families of gogos, their children and grandchildren.
They were left out when RDPs were introduced to the area and claimed that until now, government officials still hadn’t told them why their houses were not built.
The affected families told Daily Sun they’ve been living in leaky shacks and relieving themselves in buckets for over 20 years.
“We don’t know why the 15 houses were excluded from the phase one Peace Village RDP project after 1994,” said gogo Elizabeth Mpetsheni (74).
“This is humiliating. Our children and their children relieve themselves in buckets, just as we did!”
The EFF’s Thembinkosi Mfama (23), whose gogo is among those who have been living in shacks for over 20 years, said her health was getting worse in the damp shack.
Mfama lost ward 47 in the recent by-elections to the ANC’s Nontuthuzelo Skweyiya. “Before the by-election, digging did take place here and underground pipes were put in, paving the way for these RDPs to be built. But now nothing is happening! Skweyiya took over from Loyiso Stemele, but she doesn’t want to talk to us!”
Skweyiya said she called a meeting last week but then residents embarked on protests. “I will call for another meeting and involve the municipality, the provincial human settlements department and housing delivery agent officials.”
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