Protesters close Centurion streets demanding services
“We face service delivery challenges on a daily basis.”
A service delivery protest in Centurion resulted in the partial closure of Rabie Street as well as the closure of Basden Street on Wednesday morning.
Protesters made their way from the gathering point on the corner of Rabie Street and Von Wielligh Avenue to the municipal offices in Basden Street.
The protest started at 10:00 and within an hour the protesters had reached the offices.
While the group consisted mainly of Olievenhoutbosch residents, protest leaders claimed they spoke on behalf of all Centurion residents.
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A memorandum was handed over to Tshwane MMC Dana Wannenburg.
Protest leader Thabang Seromo, who spoke on matters regarding Olievenhoutbosch wards 48, 61, 77 and 106, read the contents of the memorandum to those present.
Chief among the issues residents had were high unemployment, a lack of housing and service delivery, accusations of nepotism within the wards by councillors as well as sexual harassment claims against metro officials.
“We face service delivery challenges on a daily basis,” said Seromo.
“Our communities have the highest unemployment rate in Centurion.”
Seromo and other protesters demanded the metro investigate the Regional Economic Director whom they accused of employing people “willy nilly”.
He said crime was also a problem in the wards and accused police of not doing their part.
Protesters also demanded the immediate release of a forensic report into the ward councillor of Olievenhoutbosch Ward 106, according to community leader Tebogo Koloane.
Koloane said the community wanted the issue to be put on the council agenda and be brought before council.
“Thereafter, the report must be provided to the provincial Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs department for further investigation,” he said.
“But the metro doesn’t want to release the report and we don’t know what they are waiting for.”
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“The report is, according to our sources, damning [for the councillor].”
Wannenburg received and signed the memorandum at the entrance to the municipal offices.
He promised the issues raised by the community would be looked into and addressed.
However, he warned that some issues might not be attended to due to budgetary constraints.
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Photo: Supplied
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