An estimate of 1000 community members rocked up to the protests, which has led to the closure of Wanderers Street at the Civic Centre.

One of the protest role players explained that the protest is a demonstration by rate payers and residents from every cultural group, who “has had enough with the instability that has been caused by the striking municipal workforce.”

While a delegation of MMCs were appointed to receive the memorandum, the protesters remain gathered and demand that Executive Mayor Mshlonishwa Masilela and MM Mandla Mnguni, receive it themselves.

“We demand this under full awareness that the Mayor has been chased out of office, but we offer out protection and as the electorate that voted him into office we demand his presence and that he does his job!”

The memorandum stated the following:

The Steve Tshwete rate payers and community members have observed in the past year how STLM employees have unleashed a reign of terror and criminality in their quest to demand a better wage.

This was done by and large through disturbing services to the community through sabotage, intimidation of other employees as well as the damage to their property and persons.

We also witnessed the same brutality and violence towards contractors appointed by council to deliver basic services.

The recent act of chasing our elected Mayor out of the offices was the final straw that prompted the coming together of the community, who now says “dis nou genoeg” to the undermining and criminal acts of the employees.

Understanding section 4(1) a, b, c, 4(2) a, b, c, d, e, f and section 5 of the Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000, the community makes the following demands:

• Council is to take charge and ensure that services are delivered without any hindrance.

• That the employees are put in their place and taught to understand that their right to a better wage does not supersede the rights of residents to the services expressed by the Constitution.

• That the municipality provides a stable and safe environment for all employees and community members by never ever allowing the anarchy we saw in the last 12 months of terror unleashed by STLM’s workforce.

• That no elected representatives (Councillors) are intimidated for performing their duties as mandated by us the electorate.

• That the Executive Mayor, Mshlonishwa Masilela be given the space and support to perform his duties without fear or favour.

• That a probe be done into why the Middelburg SAPS had a lackluster approach towards the strike and the minimal assistance and enforcement of court orders.

We thereby mandate council to take lead with the relevant agencies to get to the bottom of the matter and expect council to respond to matters in writing, by way of a plan and measures, which should be explained and communicated through public meetings and imbizo within three days after the handover of the memorandum.

The protests were supported by community members of different cultures, including the Genoeg is Genoeg Movement.