The Thembilihle Informal Settlement residents have been gatvol with the city's ignorance of not listening to them about their needs of basic service delivery.
They decided to take to the streets to toi toi (protest) on June 14, with the hope that the City will listen to their demands.
The residents who came out in numbers barricaded the K43 road by using rocks and burning tyres.
A resident Trevor Ntlatseng speaking to the media said, “We are gathered here with regard to the upgrading of the Informal Settlement programme. Our informal settlement falls within the areas which can be developed and receive basic services. However, in the last meeting we had with the housing department, we were told that Thembelihle had to be relocated and this is the bone of contention.”
He further explained that when the community leaders had reported back to the residents, the residents were adamant that such a report must be conveyed directly to them by the departmental officials. When the leaders spoke to the department, they were referred to their ward councillor.
"The leaders had explained to the City during a meeting that they could not move the people from Thembelihle to another location. They knew that there was money available to develop the area and asked the department to develop Thembelihle," said Ntlatseng .
Ntlatseng expressed his frustration by saying that if the department had just listened to the leaders, they would not now be protesting.
JMPD spokesperson, Xolani Fihla, urged motorists to avoid the K43 and to use alternative routes such as Nirvana Drive, the R554, Lenasia Drive and Volta Street.
No comments:
Post a Comment