WATERVAL BOVEN – Protesting residents of Engwenya Township have calmed down this past week, despite still not getting the meeting they have demanded with the executive mayor of Emakhazeni Local Municipality.
Residents have been protesting against dirty water, high rates and a general lack of services. Mayor Cllr Xolani Sydney Ngwenya has, however, refused to meet with them. Meanwhile the week-long protest accumulated in the torching of buildings after a young man Jabulani Masete (21) was killed by police last week.
Ms Lizzie Tshabalala, municipal manager of Emakhazeni, says a meeting with the community is planned for sometime this week, but a date had not yet been as the residents of Engwenya had indicated that they wanted to wait until after Masete’s funeral.
The municipality has also not yet been able to determine the exact value of the damage caused to buildings, roads, and vehicles during the violent protests. “We are waiting for the insurance.”
She added that the documents and records housed in the burnt out municipal building was backed up on the municipality’s interconnected computers system and only hard copies would be lost.
“For now, we have to rely on firefighting services from other towns, the closest being Machadodorp,” she added.
She would not elaborate on any planned resolutions of the residents’ issues and referred queries to the mayor. Ngwenya declined to comment.
Mr Robbie Raburabu, spokesman for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, says the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
