The community of Eldorado Park say marginalisation and the lack of service delivery are the underyling factors that have led to the recent unrest at Klipspruit West High School.
They blame the department of human settlements for its failure to deliver its promise on providing houses to the community.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is conducting hearings in Eldorado Park to investigate the unrest in the area and the disruptions at the school.
Speaking on the first day of the hearings on Tuesday‚ Greater Eldorado Business Forum chairperson Charis Pretorius said the protests in the community stemmed from the lack of service delivery and had nothing to do with racism.
"Racism seems to be the card people are using‚ but it is not the problem.
"The reason for the protests at Klipspruit West is because certain processes were not followed in hiring a principal. The department hired a principal who had not been at the school‚" she said.
She said the protests at the school were an "extreme" measure to get attention from the government.
"In order to address the powers that be‚ extreme measures had to be taken."
"We have been marginalised and we don't know where we belong. We are getting very little support from government‚" said Pretorius.
Wiseman Hamilton of the Greater Eldorado Park United Civic said poverty‚ crime‚ drug abuse and a sense of being "left out" by government were the root cause of the unrest in the area.
"Racism is not the underlying issue here. Coloured communities are suffering from marginalisation. The ANC government is favouring one group over another."
- TimesLIVE
Source: TMG Digital.
Marginalisation root cause of unrest in Eldorado Park: community
They blame the department of human settlements for its failure to deliver its promise on providing houses to the community.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is conducting hearings in Eldorado Park to investigate the unrest in the area and the disruptions at the school.
Speaking on the first day of the hearings on Tuesday‚ Greater Eldorado Business Forum chairperson Charis Pretorius said the protests in the community stemmed from the lack of service delivery and had nothing to do with racism.
"Racism seems to be the card people are using‚ but it is not the problem.
"The reason for the protests at Klipspruit West is because certain processes were not followed in hiring a principal. The department hired a principal who had not been at the school‚" she said.
She said the protests at the school were an "extreme" measure to get attention from the government.
"In order to address the powers that be‚ extreme measures had to be taken."
"We have been marginalised and we don't know where we belong. We are getting very little support from government‚" said Pretorius.
Wiseman Hamilton of the Greater Eldorado Park United Civic said poverty‚ crime‚ drug abuse and a sense of being "left out" by government were the root cause of the unrest in the area.
"Racism is not the underlying issue here. Coloured communities are suffering from marginalisation. The ANC government is favouring one group over another."
- TimesLIVE
Source: TMG Digital.
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