SANCO hands over memorandum of demands
The peaceful march that was held by members from areas like Matsulu, Pienaar, Lekazi, Barberton, just to mention but a few, started at The Grove shopping complex near the Riverside Mall.
Hundreds of members of the South African Civic Organisation (SANCO) marched to the government complex in Mbombela to hand over their memorandum of grievances to the office of the premier today.
Chanting and singing revolutionary songs, the marchers walked straight to the provincial offices escorted by a number of police officers.
Among the grievances they are complaining about include service delivery around the Ehlanzeni region, which they say government has forgotten about them.
SANCO, regional secretary at Ehlanzeni, Mr Chris Mashele says in areas such as Nkomazi and Bushbuckridge, people are forced to share water with animals.
Mashele said it has been some time since government has been making empty promises to the people without taking their concerns seriously.
“Our memorandum is divided into two sections: the first one where we want responses within five days is where we demand that government must do away with giving tenders to private companies on scholar transport. It is local business people who must benefit in transporting learners around and government must speed up processes of paying,” he said.
On the second list of demands, which includes issues of unemployment, corruption and poor service delivery, Mashele said they are only giving the office of the premier just 21 days to come to them with responses, otherwise they will be forced to take other ways of raising their concerns.
Receiving the memorandum, the acting premier, Ms Refilwe Mtsweni who is the MEC for Co-Operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, said they understand the demands of the residents and they will bring the responses as per the demands. “First of al,l I just want to thank you our people for using peaceful means of raising your concerns as opposed to violence and vandalising of property. We welcome and understand their grievances We will communicate with all the relevant departments to try and find amicable solutions to all the problems they have raised,” she said
The residents dispersed peacefully to their transports just after the acting premier addressed them and signed the memorandum on behalf of the premier David Mabuza who is off on a special leave.
