Frustrations erupted on the early hours of August 13 as residents in Video informal settlement launched a protest against the local government. They barricaded the N14 highway and R114 at around 03:00 in defiance of the local government, which they claim elects leaders that are not from Video.
*Christian Molepa said the protest was also against corruption, and elected officials that use them as stepping stones to power. “The ANC brought in their own councillors, they did not give the community the chance to choose or elect their own councillors. When we asked for a reason, they told us it’s the protocols of the ANC. We know the community has the right to vote for a person they believe will benefit the community.
“We don’t want their elected people. We want to elect a person who comes from the community, who was raised here and knows our concerns. We don’t want a person who will come here just because they want tenders and money, which is what we saw them doing,” Molepa claimed.
Another resident, Christina Platjie said the ANC government in their ward has never asked for the community’s input on who they would prefer as their councillor. “This has been going on for so long, we are tired. Even the outgoing ward councillor – we have only seen him on the ballot paper.” Asked whether they had the opportunity to vote for the incoming ward councillor, Platjie said, “They don’t allow us, that is why we are angry. They even change the venue so that we won’t make it there.”
*Not his real name
