Protesters brought an entire neighbourhood to a standstill, shutting down shops and schools.
The Mfuleni residents marched to eight schools, ensuring that each one shut their gates and sent their learners home on Monday.
About 1 000 learners joined in the protesting mob of about 300 adults as they went from school to school and shut down a supermarket.
The mob was armed with knobkierries and golf clubs.
The siege of the sprawling township is exactly what the residents had vowed to do a week ago.
They say they want their councillor Themba Honono to step down – and this is the only way to draw attention to their housing issues.
Protesters held up placards reading: “Honono we don’t want you as our councillor” and “You said our mothers stink, you think you are better than us”.
When the Daily Voice arrived early on Monday, residents had forcefully removed pupils from Bardale Primary School.
Moments later, they gathered outside Bardale Secondary as learners waited for word from the principal to shut the school down.
Community leader Thandazile Qave says: “We wanted the children to join us because they are part of the struggle.
“They sleep where we sleep. We are aware they missed out on school but then they had to be here and fight for what they deserve – which is better housing.”
One of the men at the head of the protest, Thembile George, says police tried to stop them from closing the first school.
But then after threats from residents, they backed down.
“We were not going to stop because of the police – what we wanted was to close the schools and we succeeded in that,” says George.
“And we still want the councillor to step down and we will make sure he does.”
Locals say they have been quiet for a long time but now they are standing up to the councillor.
“He thinks he’s above everyone, he has his favourite people who he caters for,” adds George.
“There are people on the housing list which he says they registered in 1970.
“But Mfuleni was only established in 1974. In 1970 people were busy fighting for freedom and there was no list drawn for this area.
“Now we want to be treated fairly.”
After shutting down the schools, the mob broke through heavy steel gates at Shoprite in Mfuleni shopping centre.
But moments after running inside, security guards fire rubber bullets, scattering the crowd.
By the time the crowd left, the centre had also closed its doors.
As word of the blanket shutdown spread, anxious parents raced to schools to collect their kids.
“Our children have nothing to do with this protest,” one parent complains.
“I don’t understand why they have to be affected by this.
“And what makes it worse is that the children are preparing for their exams and they are disrupted by people who won’t get what they want by keeping learners out of school.”
After five hours of demonstrations, the residents went to Bardale Informal Settlement where they planned to dismantle shacks.
But a small army of cops was waiting for them and the mob, now led by children – some of whom are still primary school learners – were told to go home.
Backyard dwellers leader Mzoxolo Mbudu says: “People built shacks on the field and the City of Cape Town evicted them and they have been living in the streets since then.
“And then yesterday morning we saw that people were building shacks and they got the go-ahead from the City and the councillor.
“All we want is for the councillor to work with us in accommodating everyone in the community.”
One suspect was arrested for malicious damage to property, says police spokesman November Filander.
He is accused of throwing stones at homes in Nuwe Begin housing project.
But the man was later released because he is mentally ill.
- This article was published in the Daily Voice
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