The Unemployed People’s Movement (UPM) in conjunction with disgruntled residents from Vukani and local squatter camps led more than 300 residents in a march to the City Hall to complain about unemployment and lack of delivery of basic services.
The Unemployed People’s Movement (UPM) in conjunction with disgruntled residents from Vukani and local squatter camps led more than 300 residents in a march to the City Hall to complain about unemployment and lack of delivery of basic services.
UPM convenor Ayanda Kota reminded the crowd on Friday that in October 2009 the UPM marched to the City Hall to demand a clean water supply, employment and general service delivery.
“Government leaders argue that they did not take part in the struggle so that they could be poor, likewise, we were not in the struggle to enrich the elite few instead we want to also eat with them,” he added.
He said that the UPM was not at the City Hall to hand over another memorandum. The residents demonstrated their anger by chanting the following slogans: “Phantsi ngo-Madinda [Down with councillor Madinda]!
Phantsi ngo-Phongolo [Down with councillor Phongolo]! Phantsi ngo-Klaas [Down with corporate services director Klaas]!”
The police had to block the angry residents from entering the City Hall as they had earlier attempted to enter the premises.
The police were also compelled to call for back up as the marchers refused to disperse after Lwana addressed them, arguing that they wanted a way forward from the council. More police officers came to the scene including Station Commissioner Morgan Govender.
Kota had to explain to Govender that there was no vandalism taking place around the City Hall but that the protesters were frustrated by the municipality’s resolve to ignore them.
Lwana eventually complied with the crowd’s demand and climbed onto the table which was used as a makeshift stage for the speakers.
He said he had met with UPM leadership and discussed unemployment, lack of land, Adult World and delivery of basic services by the municipality.
“It’s not entirely up to the municipality to curb unemployment,” he added. He said that at the meeting it was agreed that a programme would be developed.
He explained that the government has land redistribution programmes which allocates land to those who lost their land under the apartheid government.
Lwana said the municipality at some stage obtained advice that residents have to boil tap water before drinking it. He, however, asserted that the water is safe to drink.
“All wards should by now know what the situation is with regards to housing,” he said, driving home the point that housing delivery is the the province’s responsibility.
He said the process of fixing houses can happen at any time but that it is entirely up to the provincial government.
He insisted he could not help the marchers as they did not hand over any petition to the council. "I will send [municipal]officials to the affected areas," he added.
Ethembeni resident Xolelwa Faku explained that TB and HIV/Aids were on the rise at Ethembeni as the informal settlement is in dire need of roads, housing and proper sanitation.
UPM’s Mohammed Noorad handed over a memorandum to Lwana which demanded that proper community participation procedures be followed with regards to the establishment of Adult World sex shop. Lwana accepted the memo and signed it.
Speaking on behalf of Vukani residents, Fikiswa Maqanda said Vukani residents joined the march because their voices had fallen on deaf ears as the municipality has not done anything about their plight.
“Our houses have cracks and are now falling apart,” she explained. “Unemployment among the youth is high and a girl has to sleep her way into a government job.”
A representative of Zolani and Phaphamani residents said despite promises made by Lwana during his first term of office, the two informal settlements are still without basic services.
“Earthworms penetrate our shacks and they are now falling apart,” she added. She said houses in these areas are not secure and cited that two boys were raped there recently.
She alluded to the fact that the municipality could not account for R26-million to the Auditor-General when its financial statements were reveiwed during the last financial year.
Jane Duncan, former head of Freedom of Expression Institute, said the UPM should link up with similar struggles around the country because the “disgraceful” state of service delivery is a national struggle and not only a concern for Grahamstown residents.
Speaking on behalf of Rhodes University students, Beth Vale said the ANC has for too long spoken on behalf of the residents yet all over the country poor people are treated like criminals.“We wish you luck in your struggle,because it’s your struggle and not ours,” she added.
