A MEETING to discuss service delivery in Mzamomhle, Gonubie, came to a fiery end on Tuesday night when irate residents torched a community hall, development centre and spaza shop.
Police spokesman Stephen Marais confirmed the incident and said eight people had been arrested.
“The police opened a public violence case and are investigating the matter,” he said.
Marais said police had monitored the area from Tuesday afternoon when the meeting between Buffalo City Metro mayor Zukiswa Ncitha, ward councillor Xolile Cakata and residents started.
When the Daily Dispatch visited the area yesterday, burnt tyres were lying in the road and everything in the community hall had been damaged . The spaza shop was gutted and thieves had looted what remained. Part of the Lathitha Development Centre was also gutted.
Cakata said a group of people opposed to him had started the fire.
“The mayor addressed their queries and they left the hall quite happy but a certain group remained behind and started protesting.”
Cakata claimed this group wanted the previous councillor back in office. “This was not a service delivery protest; those people are against me.”
Cakata said he was shocked by what they did. “You can’t claim you want service delivery and then destroy existing services,” he said.
Ward 28 ANC Youth League chairman Xolisa Jita claimed residents were not happy with the outcome of the meeting with Ncitha.
“The meeting was about service delivery and the councillor’s conduct but the mayor left before the issues had been addressed and the people were not pleased.”
Jita added that after Ncitha left at about 8pm residents started venting their anger on the streets.
“The police ordered the protestors to stop but they didn’t and police started firing rubber bullets,” he said.
People then began to disperse and police left without checking if everyone had gone home.
“At about 9pm I was told the Lathitha Development Centre was on fire and later the community hall too. I called the fire department but they were slow in arriving.”
Jita said earlier this month some residents had planned a service delivery protest but he spoke to them and managed to stop them.
“The chief whip promised the residents the mayor would come but when she came on Tuesday people were disappointed she left without resolving anything.”
The Sanco chairwoman of the area, Nokwanda Kalana, disputed that Ncitha left without making any resolutions at the meeting.
“The mayor told us they would get a piece of land to build houses for people who live in shacks.
“People left the meeting with clarity but there is a group that wants our councillor out,” she said.
Kalana added most residents had no problem with the councillor.
“He came into office in 2011 and so far he has fixed potholes, built toilets for people staying in shacks and put up rubbish bins around the area,” she said.
Resident Mandisa Mpetsheni said there was no valid reason for people to burn down structures meant to empower the community.
“The Lathitha Development Centre has computers and unemployed youth in the community attend classes there to acquire computer skills,” she said.
This was not the first time Mzamomhle residents have complained about service delivery.
Last year close to 500 residents protested and early this month more than 40 public works cleaners protested, saying they had to work under appalling conditions. —
Fiery end to mayor’s talk
Police spokesman Stephen Marais confirmed the incident and said eight people had been arrested.
“The police opened a public violence case and are investigating the matter,” he said.
Marais said police had monitored the area from Tuesday afternoon when the meeting between Buffalo City Metro mayor Zukiswa Ncitha, ward councillor Xolile Cakata and residents started.
When the Daily Dispatch visited the area yesterday, burnt tyres were lying in the road and everything in the community hall had been damaged . The spaza shop was gutted and thieves had looted what remained. Part of the Lathitha Development Centre was also gutted.
Cakata said a group of people opposed to him had started the fire.
“The mayor addressed their queries and they left the hall quite happy but a certain group remained behind and started protesting.”
Cakata claimed this group wanted the previous councillor back in office. “This was not a service delivery protest; those people are against me.”
Cakata said he was shocked by what they did. “You can’t claim you want service delivery and then destroy existing services,” he said.
Ward 28 ANC Youth League chairman Xolisa Jita claimed residents were not happy with the outcome of the meeting with Ncitha.
“The meeting was about service delivery and the councillor’s conduct but the mayor left before the issues had been addressed and the people were not pleased.”
Jita added that after Ncitha left at about 8pm residents started venting their anger on the streets.
“The police ordered the protestors to stop but they didn’t and police started firing rubber bullets,” he said.
People then began to disperse and police left without checking if everyone had gone home.
“At about 9pm I was told the Lathitha Development Centre was on fire and later the community hall too. I called the fire department but they were slow in arriving.”
Jita said earlier this month some residents had planned a service delivery protest but he spoke to them and managed to stop them.
“The chief whip promised the residents the mayor would come but when she came on Tuesday people were disappointed she left without resolving anything.”
The Sanco chairwoman of the area, Nokwanda Kalana, disputed that Ncitha left without making any resolutions at the meeting.
“The mayor told us they would get a piece of land to build houses for people who live in shacks.
“People left the meeting with clarity but there is a group that wants our councillor out,” she said.
Kalana added most residents had no problem with the councillor.
“He came into office in 2011 and so far he has fixed potholes, built toilets for people staying in shacks and put up rubbish bins around the area,” she said.
Resident Mandisa Mpetsheni said there was no valid reason for people to burn down structures meant to empower the community.
“The Lathitha Development Centre has computers and unemployed youth in the community attend classes there to acquire computer skills,” she said.
This was not the first time Mzamomhle residents have complained about service delivery.
Last year close to 500 residents protested and early this month more than 40 public works cleaners protested, saying they had to work under appalling conditions. —
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