“WE will embark on a mother of all protests until someone takes us seriously.”

These are the stern words coming from Birch Acres Residents Committee spokesman, Ronald Mashaba.

Mashaba was speaking regarding the seven days given to Ekurhuleni Metro to positively respond to the memorandum handed over to them by striking residents on August 29. The committee has now allowed them the 14 days the metro requested.

“Having considered that they have to consult with other departments like education, we agreed as a community to allow them 14 days, as per their policy, to come back to us after having consulted with their counterparts at provincial or national levels. We have been patient with the authorities for far too long. The protest action was our last resort.”

This follows the service delivery protests which took place two weeks ago in Birch Acres. Residents of the Birch Acres ext 23 to 44, as well as residents of Sophiatown, a squatter camp in Tembisa situated just opposite Birch Acres Mall, took to the streets to strike. Their concerns included issues with local schools, clinics and police station.

“If the municipality fails to respond positively to our memorandum, it would be unfortunate, as we have stated clearly in our memo that we will have no other option but to intensify our protest. We have received support from SANCO (South African National Civic Organisation) of the Ward 91 branch, Equal Education (an NGO that advocates for the provision of school infrastructure, libraries and sanitation at schools), and residents of Norkem Park and Esselen Park extensions, who are part of ward 91.”

In the meanwhile, a case had been opened by the committee against the Gauteng Public Order Policing Unit, which on the day of the strike shot and wounded people. According to Mashaba, five people were injured on the day.

“We have opened a case with Tembisa Police Station. One woman, who was on her way to work and not part of the protests, was shot in the eye and another man was left with broken legs after being shot. Police started preventing people from Sophiatown, who are part of ward 91, from joining us in Birch Acres.”

According to Mashaba, police also invaded Sophiatown and arrested a 10-year-old child just outside her home while she was in the company of her mother.

“We have also not been given our Section 205 to show proof that we are authorised to protest. We were meant to receive the document the day before the protests from EMPD officer, Thabo Lebisi, but we are still waiting for it.”

Mashaba said once the committee received positive feedback from the metro, they also want to be included in the 2015/2016 financial budget.

“We have also taken a decision that no further development should take place until these facilities are delivered.

“We also want the people from Sophiatown to live decently after 20 years of no basic human rights services like sanitation, housing and electricity. This is a collective effort for ward 91,” Mashaba concluded.