DUNCAN village residents have vowed to set the Mdantsane Access Road highway alight for the third time in a protest over RDP houses allegedly being illegally occupied in Reeston.
The residents said this at a meeting last night with Buffalo City Metro (BCM) executive mayor Zukiswa Ncitha and the housing department’s portfolio head, Nomiki Mgesi.
They said they were not satisfied with the outcome of the meeting held at a nearby school in Duncan Village and scheduled by the mayor last Thursday when she met some of protesters who had barricaded the access road.
The residents protested twice last week and 14 people were arrested for contravening public order after setting tyres alight and allegedly throwing stones at the police.
Police responded by firing rubber bullets.
The meeting was meant to iron out service delivery issues in the area but instead angered the residents who accused the mayor of avoiding the Reeston houses issue.
The residents exploded in anger as the mayor read out the agenda which included reports on refuse collection, water leakages, illegal dumpsites, the distribution of refuse bags and temporary structure for disaster victims.
“We are not here to hear about refuse bags because uncollected waste is the least of our problems and besides we had gotten used to living in squalor – all we want are our houses.”
In her response the mayor said she thought they had already dealt with the housing issue when they met last week.
“I informed you that we will attend to this because we want to build you new houses.
“We are not going to move those people out of the houses. The department of human settlement who are currently conducting an investigation will evict those people,” Ncitha said.
This did not go down well with the residents who started shouting in rage.
Police outside the meeting to monitor proceedings were called to a nearby community were residents were setting tyres alight in a protest over illegal electricty connections.
The residents from CC Lloyd claimed they had been experiencing power outages due to illegal connections by nearby shack dwellers.
Meanwhile residents from Duncan Village said they would continue protesting until they got their houses. —
DV residents vow to continue protests
The residents said this at a meeting last night with Buffalo City Metro (BCM) executive mayor Zukiswa Ncitha and the housing department’s portfolio head, Nomiki Mgesi.
They said they were not satisfied with the outcome of the meeting held at a nearby school in Duncan Village and scheduled by the mayor last Thursday when she met some of protesters who had barricaded the access road.
The residents protested twice last week and 14 people were arrested for contravening public order after setting tyres alight and allegedly throwing stones at the police.
Police responded by firing rubber bullets.
The meeting was meant to iron out service delivery issues in the area but instead angered the residents who accused the mayor of avoiding the Reeston houses issue.
The residents exploded in anger as the mayor read out the agenda which included reports on refuse collection, water leakages, illegal dumpsites, the distribution of refuse bags and temporary structure for disaster victims.
“We are not here to hear about refuse bags because uncollected waste is the least of our problems and besides we had gotten used to living in squalor – all we want are our houses.”
In her response the mayor said she thought they had already dealt with the housing issue when they met last week.
“I informed you that we will attend to this because we want to build you new houses.
“We are not going to move those people out of the houses. The department of human settlement who are currently conducting an investigation will evict those people,” Ncitha said.
This did not go down well with the residents who started shouting in rage.
Police outside the meeting to monitor proceedings were called to a nearby community were residents were setting tyres alight in a protest over illegal electricty connections.
The residents from CC Lloyd claimed they had been experiencing power outages due to illegal connections by nearby shack dwellers.
Meanwhile residents from Duncan Village said they would continue protesting until they got their houses. —
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