Frustrated residents of Ekurhuleni are protesting over title deeds for their flats and basic services like water and electricity.
Image: Picture: Simon Majadibodu/IOL
Chanting “F**k off, man!” hundreds of frustrated Ekurhuleni residents disrupted Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza’s State of the City Address at the Germiston New Council Chamber on Thursday, demanding title deeds, reconnection of water, and electricity.
Residents from Germiston, including those from Delville and Phareo Park, flooded the council chamber holding posters that read, “We want our title deeds, we want water and electricity”.
Others carried signs stating, “Down with Mayor of Ekurhuleni Xhakaza".
The protesters voiced anger over persistent water shortages and electricity outages in their area.
Boitumelo Setlamu, one of the protesters, said residents have lived on the land for 25 years.
However, eight years ago, donors from the US organisation built flats for them, she said.
“The intention was that after four years, we were supposed to own those flats. Our grandparents have been staying here for the past 25 years,” she said.
She claimed that once the Ekurhuleni Housing Company took over, it began collecting revenue and realised the houses generated significant income.
“They noticed that there was a lot of revenue coming from these houses,” Setlamu said.
She said residents were then required to pay for water, electricity, and rent.
“In 2017, we decided that we could not keep on paying for the services,” she said.
“After we stopped paying for the services, they blocked the power supply, water, and we told them that we are not going to continue paying a cent.”
Setlamu said residents never received the title deeds they were promised.
She also claimed that when they tried to register for government-subsidised RDP houses, officials told them they already owned properties.
“They tell us that we already have flats. They will give you the unit number of the flat where you are staying,” she said.
Setlamu claimed that last week on Monday, the city deployed about 200 Metro Police officers, who allegedly opened fire on residents.
“They shot the residents. Some of them are currently in the hospital fighting for their lives,” she said.
She called on Xhakaza to fulfill the city’s promises.
“We call on the mayor to give us what rightfully belongs to us. We want to be reconnected to the electricity and water supply,” she said.
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
IOL News
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