Protesters barricade roads into Tembisa, 1 August 2022, during protests throughout Tembisa over poor service delivery. This follows a night of riots. Two people have been shot dead in the violence. Picture: Michel Bega
One person has reportedly been shot dead during the Tembisa shutdown service delivery protests.
Angry Tembisa residents blockaded several roads around the community with burning tyres and rocks. This over what they say is a deafening silence on their pleas for assistance with service delivery challenges.
The residents took to the streets on Monday morning, in a community shutdown.
Motorists have been urged to avoid major roads in the area and to opt for alternative routes as the area remains volatile.
Residents are also complaining that their electricity is frequently cut with different stages of load reduction.
They also say indigent households that were provided with subsidised electricity, that has now been cut by 50 percent, are now getting less or no electricity at all.
Speaking to The Citizen, Andile Mzangwa says residents want service delivery to be expedited in the area.
“They are complaining about water, rates, the rent and the bond. Our gogo’s have been paying bond and even now – we are still paying and there is no change and every year it becomes higher.”
Mzangwa says they want Ekurhuleni Mayor Tania Campbell to visit the community and address service delivery shortages after she failed to show up at a community meeting
He says the residents would continue to protest until Campbell comes to the area and addresses them, or until their demands are met.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that a protesting community member was fatally shot allegedly by the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) officers in Tembisa during the protest.
Earlier, a truck was torched on the highway, near Tembisa, which resulted to three lanes being blocked.
The highway has not yet been cleared, however, two lanes are now open. Officers have been deployed to the area and are monitoring the situation.
Members of the community have been demonstrating since Sunday night, completely blocking Hospital Road.
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