Thick clouds of black smoke and the stench of burnt tyres hung over the Europe informal settlement near Nyanga last night after service delivery-related protests erupted for the third consecutive night.
People returning from work had to walk to their homes because the Borchards Quarry entrance to Nyanga and parts of Klipfontein Road were closed to traffic by 6.45pm.
Yesterday's protests erupted around 5pm but, by nightfall, the crowd dispersed at the request of heavily armed police and metro police officers.
A leader of the protests, Sihle Mabusela, said last night that residents had decided to take action on Monday to commemorate Women's Day.
"The women here felt that they need to show their anger. Even though they (the government) say women are free, it's not true for all of them. These women who don't have houses or proper toilets are not free," he said.
Mabusela said the group of about 300 residents was prepared to move to another area if this would assist the government to accommodate their needs.
"We don't care where the houses are as long as there is fresh water, toilets and decent living conditions."
Sydney Ngalo, a fellow protester, said the group had met the provincial Department of Human Settlements earlier this year where "empty promises were made".
"They spoke about moving us to Delft and then, later, we were told that surveyors would be sent here to assess the land we are currently occupying to see if it can be developed," Ngalo said.
Mabusela said the group had submitted an application yesterday for a formal protest march next week where a memorandum of their demands would be handed to national Minister of Human Settlements Tokyo Sexwale, via the provincial office.
"We want the government to come up with something concrete and tell us exactly what they are going to do and how it is going to be done," he said.
Zalisile Mbali, spokesperson for provincial Housing Minister Bonginkosi Madikizela said yesterday that while the minister understood the frustration of residents, he did not condone their decision to "resort to public violence in a bid to demonstrate their anger toward the government".
Mbali said it had been agreed at a February meeting that the department would do an assessment of the area to identify which sections could be upgraded.
The minister had also agreed there was a need to identify land, and possibly purchase it for resettlement.
"We have drafted terms of reference to appoint a service provider and should finalise an appointment by the beginning of September," Mbali said.
- Cape Argus
People returning from work had to walk to their homes because the Borchards Quarry entrance to Nyanga and parts of Klipfontein Road were closed to traffic by 6.45pm.
Yesterday's protests erupted around 5pm but, by nightfall, the crowd dispersed at the request of heavily armed police and metro police officers.
A leader of the protests, Sihle Mabusela, said last night that residents had decided to take action on Monday to commemorate Women's Day.
"The women here felt that they need to show their anger. Even though they (the government) say women are free, it's not true for all of them. These women who don't have houses or proper toilets are not free," he said.
Mabusela said the group of about 300 residents was prepared to move to another area if this would assist the government to accommodate their needs.
"We don't care where the houses are as long as there is fresh water, toilets and decent living conditions."
Sydney Ngalo, a fellow protester, said the group had met the provincial Department of Human Settlements earlier this year where "empty promises were made".
"They spoke about moving us to Delft and then, later, we were told that surveyors would be sent here to assess the land we are currently occupying to see if it can be developed," Ngalo said.
Mabusela said the group had submitted an application yesterday for a formal protest march next week where a memorandum of their demands would be handed to national Minister of Human Settlements Tokyo Sexwale, via the provincial office.
"We want the government to come up with something concrete and tell us exactly what they are going to do and how it is going to be done," he said.
Zalisile Mbali, spokesperson for provincial Housing Minister Bonginkosi Madikizela said yesterday that while the minister understood the frustration of residents, he did not condone their decision to "resort to public violence in a bid to demonstrate their anger toward the government".
Mbali said it had been agreed at a February meeting that the department would do an assessment of the area to identify which sections could be upgraded.
The minister had also agreed there was a need to identify land, and possibly purchase it for resettlement.
"We have drafted terms of reference to appoint a service provider and should finalise an appointment by the beginning of September," Mbali said.
- Cape Argus
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