Angry squatters caused chaos as they protested against poor service delivery outside the home of Ward 12 councillor Ntsikelelo Stamper recently.
Angry squatters caused chaos as they protested against poor service delivery outside the home of Ward 12 councillor Ntsikelelo Stamper recently.
Squatters from Xolani informal settlement on Tuesday marched to Stamper’s home in Tantyi to demand better service delivery. Armed with placards, the group of about 50 squatters, mostly women, had decided to catch the councillor before he went to work. They arrived at his home in V Street just before 8am.
Tempers flared and insults were hurled between Stamper’s family and neighbours after the councillor called the police.
The residents say they are fed up with lack of development in their 20-year-old settlement. The small settlement is situated at the centre of Xolani and the mud and corrugated shacks stand out from the attractive, brightly coloured and neat face brick houses surrounding it.
The squatters accused Stamper of failing to provide them with services such as housing, roads, electricity, toilets and running water. They are still using the bucket toilet system. “Nothing is done for us in this place, we have been living here for 20 years. We are tired of living in the dark, we want electricity,” said the residents’ spokesperson, Nomisa Mancam.
These were the same grievances the residents raised in a protest march at City Hall a few weeks before the national government elections in April this year. They said Stamper, as their ward councillor, does not keep his promises to deliver services.
On Monday this week, the residents met and planned to confront Stamper at his home on Tuesday. When they arrived at Stamper’s home, the councillor apparently invited them inside. Shortly afterwards, several ANC members and Ward 12 committee members also arrived. The group’s arrival seemed to spark a confrontation as the squatters were suddenly ordered to get out of the house.
Stamper had apparently told the residents he would meet with them today at 2pm. However, after the argument in his house, Stamper called the police. Two police vehicles arrived and the squatters were escorted outside where they remained while the police spoke to the councillor.
For a while, it appeared that calm had been restored and the police left. However, all hell broke loose when neighbours who had come out of their houses began swearing at each other.
The neighours, who were torn between sympathising with Stamper and the squatters, got involved in a heated confrontation. They hurled insults at each other with those in support of Stamper ordering the squatters to take their demands to the municipality while the others sympathised with the squatters and berated Stamper.
The neighbours came close to exchanging blows while two ANC members violently threatened an older female protester. One member of Stamper’s family stood outside shouting at the squatters while the councillor stood and watched. “You don’t come here to demand your rights, you go to the Town Hall. This is not the Town Hall.”
After the commotion, the residents dispersed. They told Grocott’s Mail they would attend the meeting with Stamper today. Mancam said Makana Mayor Vumile Lwana indicated he would attend the meeting. Stamper refused to comment. Mancam said: “We want him to step down or he must give us Zuma’s phone number so we can take our demands forward.”
