By Luvuyo Mjekula
Senior leaders of Makana Municipality felt the wrath of frustrated and fed-up Makana residents during a protest by Unemployed People’s Movement (UPM) and Makana Citizens Front (MCF) members outside the City Hall earlier today.
The residents demanded a clear plan to address the water crisis, an end to power cuts and a clear and transparent process on job allocations.
Both mayor Yandiswa Vara and municipal manager Phumelelo Kate were on the receiving end of angry outbursts from the crowd of about 70 residents of Makhanda and surrounding towns such as Alicedale and Seven Fountains.
The residents earlier demanded that Vara was the one who receive their petition, and not councillor Thandolwethu Vayo or Kate, both of whom they sent away.
“We want Vara to receive and sign our petition,” the residents shouted, in unison.
Following a few speeches by some angry residents, some of whom accused the municipal leadership of corruption of dishonesty, Vara finally emerged from the City Hall and accepted and signed the petition, assuring the residents she would hand their grievances over to the petitions’ committee.
The residents would get feedback after the committee investigates their complaints, she said.
She had apologized after the residents accused her of disregarding them. The leader of the protest had remarked: “It’s clear the mayor does not want to come talk to us. It must be a lesson to us that the ruling party, that put her in that position, does not care about us.”
The other residents’ demands were:
– An end to unhealthy drinking water
– Clarity on the selection of indigent community members
– Address of faulty street lights
– Consistent sewage removal in informal areas
