Residents from informal settlements in Mdantsane took to the streets yesterday morning, burning tyres and blocking roads while demanding houses from Buffalo City Metro (BCM).
The residents from NU12, 13, 14, 18 and Fort Jackson were in protest accusing their ward councillors and the municipality of failing to deliver RDP houses for them despite promises being made to them.
The protest, which started around 1am yesterday, saw more than 100 residents from the different areas blocking access to and from the township.
Frustrated workers and pupils, who were not part of the protest, struggled to get to work and school until police officers from Mdantsane and East London were dispatched to the areas.
At least five people were arrested for public violence by the police from Inyibiba police station in NU14.
Resident Ndileka Gwayi, who is also a community committee member from the Sisulu Village in NU14, said: “Our problem is that we really want houses. I have been staying in a shack since 1984.
“We have been promised for years and just as we thought our houses would be built in NU18, the municipal officials told us this month that it would take another two months to appoint a new contractor after the old one left the job incomplete in December.”
Their action followed a mass meeting held at the NU15 sports grounds on Sunday.
Ward 21 councillor Mlandeli Ngabayena said there were plans to build houses.However, the metro still experienced problems with the appointment of a contractor.
“There are 91 houses that will be built in NU13 but there are shacks in that space and those people are refusing to move because their houses in NU18 have not been built.
BCM’s housing head Nomiki Mgezi said the metro was still involved in a legal battle with the old contractor and could not appoint a new one until the matter was resolved.
House protest marred by public violence acts
The residents from NU12, 13, 14, 18 and Fort Jackson were in protest accusing their ward councillors and the municipality of failing to deliver RDP houses for them despite promises being made to them.
The protest, which started around 1am yesterday, saw more than 100 residents from the different areas blocking access to and from the township.
Frustrated workers and pupils, who were not part of the protest, struggled to get to work and school until police officers from Mdantsane and East London were dispatched to the areas.
At least five people were arrested for public violence by the police from Inyibiba police station in NU14.
Resident Ndileka Gwayi, who is also a community committee member from the Sisulu Village in NU14, said: “Our problem is that we really want houses. I have been staying in a shack since 1984.
“We have been promised for years and just as we thought our houses would be built in NU18, the municipal officials told us this month that it would take another two months to appoint a new contractor after the old one left the job incomplete in December.”
Their action followed a mass meeting held at the NU15 sports grounds on Sunday.
Ward 21 councillor Mlandeli Ngabayena said there were plans to build houses.However, the metro still experienced problems with the appointment of a contractor.
“There are 91 houses that will be built in NU13 but there are shacks in that space and those people are refusing to move because their houses in NU18 have not been built.
BCM’s housing head Nomiki Mgezi said the metro was still involved in a legal battle with the old contractor and could not appoint a new one until the matter was resolved.
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