As 31 Khayelitsha residents appeared in court after two days of violent clashes with police over unenclosed toilets, community leaders warned protests would spread.
Since Monday residents in areas such as Taiwan in Site C, Nkanini and Makhaza have blocked roads with burning barricades after the city removed open toilets in Makhaza. The council had enclosed the toilets last week, but residents led by ANC Youth League leaders in Makhaza demolished the corrugated iron enclosures.
Police were again out in force yesterday, patrolling hot spots where there were protests.
At the Khayelitsha Magistrate's Court, magistrate Gary Harmse issued a stern warning to 22 people charged with public violence. Due back in court on July 16, they included ANCYL member Andile Lili, whom Cape Town mayor Dan Plato has accused of having agreed to a 2007 decision to build the open toilets. Lili retorted that Plato was a liar.
The 22 were released after Harmse made it clear that if they caused violence or disturbed public order, their release would be revoked because: "We cannot have chaos in Khayelitsha."
A juvenile appeared separately and was released to his parents' custody.
Another ANCYL leader, Loyiso Nkohla, and seven others were also arrested on Tuesday on public violence charges, but appeared in court on the same day. They return to court today when Nkohla and Lili face further charges in connection with destroying the toilet enclosures.
Meanwhile, community leaders in Makhaza and Nkanini and SA National Civics Organisation (Sanco) in Nkanini and Kuyasa warned that demonstrations would continue and be taken to other townships.
They said the protests were now also over a lack of electricity and poor sanitation.
"The media has attributed the protest to the ANCYL. It is not. We are the residents here. The situation is that we don't have decent toilets. By having our people arrested does not mean we are going to stop.
"What the DA-led city has done is give us a morale boost. This protest is not only in our area. Other black townships have joined. It is about services," said Makhaza community leader Luthando Adonis.
Asked about poor services that were there when the ANC was in charge, and whether the leaders were ANCYL mouthpieces, Adonis said: "We don't have a spin-doctor here. You can't compare the few years the ANC was in control with the many years of the National Party. The system of the DA is the National Party is the same - divide and rule."
Nuluvo Lime, chairperson of Sanco in Kuyasa, said: "We are not going to stop until we get decent services. Our children are getting sick."
Outside court Lili said he was happy to be out, but added: "We won't be apologetic until service delivery is provided for all of us. For now we will continue to be ungovernable."
He and residents who waited for the accused to leave court, walked three kilometres back to Makhaza. Police and Metro Police vehicles closed in on the group and warned them either to split up and stop singing or face arrest.
The crowd broke up into smaller groups and continued their walk in silence.
Since Monday residents in areas such as Taiwan in Site C, Nkanini and Makhaza have blocked roads with burning barricades after the city removed open toilets in Makhaza. The council had enclosed the toilets last week, but residents led by ANC Youth League leaders in Makhaza demolished the corrugated iron enclosures.
Police were again out in force yesterday, patrolling hot spots where there were protests.
At the Khayelitsha Magistrate's Court, magistrate Gary Harmse issued a stern warning to 22 people charged with public violence. Due back in court on July 16, they included ANCYL member Andile Lili, whom Cape Town mayor Dan Plato has accused of having agreed to a 2007 decision to build the open toilets. Lili retorted that Plato was a liar.
The 22 were released after Harmse made it clear that if they caused violence or disturbed public order, their release would be revoked because: "We cannot have chaos in Khayelitsha."
A juvenile appeared separately and was released to his parents' custody.
Another ANCYL leader, Loyiso Nkohla, and seven others were also arrested on Tuesday on public violence charges, but appeared in court on the same day. They return to court today when Nkohla and Lili face further charges in connection with destroying the toilet enclosures.
Meanwhile, community leaders in Makhaza and Nkanini and SA National Civics Organisation (Sanco) in Nkanini and Kuyasa warned that demonstrations would continue and be taken to other townships.
They said the protests were now also over a lack of electricity and poor sanitation.
"The media has attributed the protest to the ANCYL. It is not. We are the residents here. The situation is that we don't have decent toilets. By having our people arrested does not mean we are going to stop.
"What the DA-led city has done is give us a morale boost. This protest is not only in our area. Other black townships have joined. It is about services," said Makhaza community leader Luthando Adonis.
Asked about poor services that were there when the ANC was in charge, and whether the leaders were ANCYL mouthpieces, Adonis said: "We don't have a spin-doctor here. You can't compare the few years the ANC was in control with the many years of the National Party. The system of the DA is the National Party is the same - divide and rule."
Nuluvo Lime, chairperson of Sanco in Kuyasa, said: "We are not going to stop until we get decent services. Our children are getting sick."
Outside court Lili said he was happy to be out, but added: "We won't be apologetic until service delivery is provided for all of us. For now we will continue to be ungovernable."
He and residents who waited for the accused to leave court, walked three kilometres back to Makhaza. Police and Metro Police vehicles closed in on the group and warned them either to split up and stop singing or face arrest.
The crowd broke up into smaller groups and continued their walk in silence.
- Cape Times
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