Social activist and filmmaker Xola Mali defused a tense situation this week when angry residents from Transit Camp, Vukani, Phaphamani, Extensions 2 and 9 threatened to take to the streets to protest housing backlogs.
Social activist and filmmaker Xola Mali defused a tense situation this week when angry residents from Transit Camp, Vukani, Phaphamani, Extensions 2 and 9 threatened to take to the streets to protest housing backlogs.
On Wednesday morning a group gathered in Extension 10, the site of the Mayfield Phase 2 housing project, to meet with the Mayor and councillors.
They had asked local government officials to come and explain why they were not on the list to receive RDP houses currently under construction there.
Many of them have been on RDP waiting lists for years.
After waiting for municipal representatives to show up, Unemployed People’s Movement activist Mali addressed the crowd.
Mali said the Mayor and councillors are too preoccupied by the National Arts Festival, and do not care enough about people who have nowhere to live.
The crowd heartily agreed and called for a march through town to express their anger. Instead, Mali proposed that they write a letter to the Mayor first, calling all councillors and the Department of Human Settlements to respond to their demands.
“Each and every one of them should answer the questions that residents will raise,” he said.
The crowd agreed and more than 100 signatures were gathered from those present.
