Parts of Klipfontein Road were closed on Monday after the second day of protests by residents of the Europe informal settlement near Nyanga.
Hundreds of residents said they would continue to protest until their calls for houses were met.
But the City of Cape Town and the provincial government said on Tuesday they were not aware of the protest, or why the residents felt the need to embark on their action.
The City's mayoral committee member for housing, Shehaam Sims, said the community had never requested a meeting with them.
Last Friday Sims accompanied Premier Helen Zille and Housing MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela to Nyanga where they met residents to discuss future housing developments, but the meeting did not include representatives of the protesting community.
Madikizela's spokesperson Zalisile Mbali said the MEC had a follow-up meeting with a committee from the community last Friday, but it did not involve the residents of Europe.
Sims said the city had been conducting surveys on the number of people living in backyards so that they could be accommodated in housing developments.
Mbali and Sims said the protest and the meetings were separate issues, but they could not say if the meetings had sparked the protest.
Sims said often communities who felt their needs were not met protested so that they could be "part of the bandwagon".
On Monday the police were called to quell violence at the Europe informal settlement after protesters burnt rubbish and protested for the second day in a row.
A section of Klipfontein Road had to be closed to traffic due to the protest, but was later opened.
No one was injured, but three people were arrested on Sunday on charges of public violence and were due to appear in court soon.
Captain Elliot Sinyangana, the Nyanga police spokesman, said they had called in units from other stations to help them restore order. Sinyangana said residents were throwing stones, rubbish and mobile toilets on to the street.
Sihle Mabusela, one of the leaders of the protest, said the approximately 300 residents in Europe would continue protesting until their demands were met.
- Cape Argus
Hundreds of residents said they would continue to protest until their calls for houses were met.
But the City of Cape Town and the provincial government said on Tuesday they were not aware of the protest, or why the residents felt the need to embark on their action.
The City's mayoral committee member for housing, Shehaam Sims, said the community had never requested a meeting with them.
Last Friday Sims accompanied Premier Helen Zille and Housing MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela to Nyanga where they met residents to discuss future housing developments, but the meeting did not include representatives of the protesting community.
Madikizela's spokesperson Zalisile Mbali said the MEC had a follow-up meeting with a committee from the community last Friday, but it did not involve the residents of Europe.
Sims said the city had been conducting surveys on the number of people living in backyards so that they could be accommodated in housing developments.
Mbali and Sims said the protest and the meetings were separate issues, but they could not say if the meetings had sparked the protest.
Sims said often communities who felt their needs were not met protested so that they could be "part of the bandwagon".
On Monday the police were called to quell violence at the Europe informal settlement after protesters burnt rubbish and protested for the second day in a row.
A section of Klipfontein Road had to be closed to traffic due to the protest, but was later opened.
No one was injured, but three people were arrested on Sunday on charges of public violence and were due to appear in court soon.
Captain Elliot Sinyangana, the Nyanga police spokesman, said they had called in units from other stations to help them restore order. Sinyangana said residents were throwing stones, rubbish and mobile toilets on to the street.
Sihle Mabusela, one of the leaders of the protest, said the approximately 300 residents in Europe would continue protesting until their demands were met.
- Cape Argus
No comments:
Post a Comment