Mayor Mzwandile Masina has strongly condemned the continuous vandalising of property by protesters in Phomolong in Tembisa.
Residents took to the streets to raise a number of service delivery concerns on Wednesday. During the protest they blockaded streets and vandalised, among others, a municipal pay point, guard house, municipal offices and a portion of a centre for the aged.
This morning an old clinic, which was earmarked for a drug rehabilitation centre, was set alight as protest action broke out again.
“The mayor was there last night to receive the memorandum. He appealed to the people to stop with the vandalism of public and private property because such actions do not take us as a city forward but rather backwards. The worst of all the issues they raised are receiving urgent attention. Although there was an undertaking in this regard, this morning we woke up to news that a clinic is on fire,” mayoral spokesman, Zweli Dlamini, explains.
Masina will hold a public meeting at Phomolong Stadium on Tuesday to give feedback to the community on the memorandum he received last night.
“The mayor gave this undertaking to the residents of Phomolong yesterday and explained that he needed some time to thoroughly investigate the issues they raised before engaging with them on the municipality’s position,” says Dlamini.
In the meantime, the mayor is calling for calm and stability in Phomolong. Heavy police presence remains to monitor the situation in the area.
