More protests ahead oF World Cup: DA

PRETORIA - Communities are using the Soccer World Cup as leverage to accelerate service delivery in their areas, the Democratic Alliance in Gauteng said on Wednesday.

"An expectation was created, rightly or wrongly, around the Soccer World Cup and the advantages it would hold for South Africans by the government," said the party's local governmentspokesman in Gauteng, Fred Nel.

"Unfortunately communities misunderstood government's message

and understood that their plight and need for water, sewerage,

electricity and houses would be addressed as a result of the World

Cup tournament coming to South Africa."

With just 92 days to go before kick-off, Nel warned of more

violent protests and urged government to explain the advantages of

the World Cup to local communities to clarify any misunderstanding.

This would also calm protests in Gauteng.

"Protests are popping up all over the place and we are afraid

that if the trend continues it may become unmanageable," said Nel.

A number of service delivery protests have taken place in the

past few weeks in Gauteng alone. Just 24 hours ago, police were

trying to calm tensions in Mamelodi East where Phomolong residents

went on a rampage burning tyres, blockading roads to protest a lack

of service delivery.

Residents in Hammanskraal also protested on Monday night, but

this was contained just before midnight.

Another protest took place in Soshanguve on Monday by residents

of Extension 10 complaining of the government's slow housing

delivery. The same happened near Hebron but it was also contained.

Nel said it was critical for the premier and the MEC for local

government to start a process of dialogue with communities to calm

the situation down.

Pledging the DA's support for the tournament, he said a calm and

protest-free Gauteng may attract a few more foreign soccer fans to

the province.

- Sapa