Marievale residents take to the streets in public display
NIGEL - Following a lock-down of the former Marievale Engineer Regiment on November 25 in order to prevent the continuous influx of unlawful occupants into the premises, members of the Marievale Committee took to the streets on December 10 to demonstrate their discontent with the latest developments through public display.
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The peaceful march was orchestrated by Christopher Koitsioe (chairperson of the committee) and the purpose thereof was to hand over a memorandum of grievances and demands to ward councillor Wally Labuschagne. It was also requested that the contents of the memorandum be conveyed to executive mayor of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, Mondli Gungubele.
According to Koitsioe, the lock-down is preventing residents of the military base freedom of movement and that the trenches created by military excavators to close off non-secure entrances are posing a hazard to small children who use them to swim in.
Some details contained in the memorandum are as follows:
* houses in Marievale that were previously meant for whites only in the midst of many African South Africans only occupying domestic quarters, houses and shacks at Happiness Valley, received attention and were put to good use by those that were homeless and in need of land and places they can call home – this included a few soldiers who worked at Dunnottar military base;
* Confirmed rumours have it that the military is at an advance stage to evict residents that have been living on the premises for many years. The purpose is allegedly to prepare the living units for soldiers, because it is alleged that the property belongs to the Military, but if there is any move that needs to be done on the Marievale plot, the Department of Public Works is the first point of entry;
* There are also confirmed rumours that a local coal mine, namely: Ilangabe Coal Mining is working in cahoots with the Dunnottar Military Base to evict residents
The Marievale Committee therefore demanded investigation into the above and it has also called for the immediate removal of the trenches.
“We also request that the Dunnottar military soldiers stop vandalising and stripping the area to the ground by removing corrugated roof sheeting, which is a direct contradiction of what we were told,” Koitsioe said.
If their demands are not met within 14 days, members of the committee indicated they will have no alternative but to boycott the upcoming local government elections.
