Singing songs and chanting, a crowd of residents from the Knights informal settlement and Delmore marched through the streets of Germiston on Wednesday morning.
The group, under the careful watch of EMPD and SAPS officers, marched to the Germiston Civic Centre where they planned to make their demands for better service delivery and jobs known.
During the march many community members shouted out their dissatisfaction with current Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina.
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The protest started in the early hours of the morning with burning tyres and rocks blocking several major roads in Germiston and Boksburg, including Lower Boksburg Road and Main Reef Road.
Protesters also invaded the Knights Train Station threatening security personnel, vandalising the station and burning tyres on the tracks.
This was confirmed by Prasa spokesperson Nana Zenani.
“The Germiston Knights operational railway lines were closed after violent service delivery protest erupted,” Zenani said.
“The corridor lines affected were between Pretoria and Johannesburg as well as Leralla-Eilandsfontein-JHB.
“Trains were stopped in both directions due to the protest.
“The line has since been opened and several trains have moved safely through the area after a technical team and Prasa security declared the area safe.”
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Const Maxwell Mabunda, the communications officer for the Germiston police, confirmed that police were monitoring the situation.
“There have been no reported injuries,” Mabunda said.
“However, EMPD and SAPS officers are monitoring the scene.”
He further stated that the protesting residents were demanding that Prasa give locals jobs as the personnel currently working at the station are allegedly not from the area.
The GCN has sent the metro a query, but is yet to receive a reply.
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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist) kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za
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