Complaints are made, only to fall on deaf ears,” Themba Mnisi, one of the Vaal’s community leaders, said.

“We have decided to take serious steps to close down all the offices of Emfuleni,” he further stated.

The two days of action to shut down all the offices started on 5 January. The concerned group chained and locked the doors to the Emfuleni Customer Care-building in President Kruger Street as part of their protest.

Frustrated ratepayers were left stranded as they had to wait for hours for the police to sort out the matter.

On 6 January, a police entourage led by Colonel Mnxebise Mabala and various law enforcement fields, were forced to cut the chain that was bolted around the doors of the office, as those who locked the doors, were nowhere to be found.

The group of concerned members were threatened with arrest by police before they were instructed to stay away from the building.

A memorandum of demands was made available to the media.

Some of the demands are:

* That the Executive Mayor, Reverend Gift Moerane must resign with immediate effect.

* Officials whose names appear on the forensic report of Emfuleni and the current management, including the top of administration, must be suspended immediately.

* The group of concerned members also appeal for the intervention of national government to take leadership of the cash strapped Emfuleni Local Municipality.

After the Emfuleni Customer Care-building was opened by police, community member were able to pay their rates and taxes.