Sandiso Phaliso
Protesters barricaded Sheffield and Govan Mbeki roads and the N2 with stones, burning tyres and rubbish yesterday morning to protest against a lack of basic services in the Marikana informal settlement.
The protest started at 3am. Law enforcement closed the N2 inbound and outbound and dispersed the protesters.
Provincial traffic chief Kenny Africa said law enforcement officials dispersed the protesters before removing the burning tyres and clearing the roads.
Africa said they were monitoring the areas.
Marikana community leader Nomvuzo Qhina said protesting by putting burning tyres in the road was a last resort because the City had refused to meet them. She said Marikana residents lived in filthy conditions.
“The City does not care for us. We are blocking roads to send a message across (to the city) that we are fed up with the City’s ignorance,” said Qhina.
“We have been trying to get hold of the City, but they don’t want to meet us. All we want is water and toilets.”
She said the community had decided that their protest would continue and busy roads like Sheffield and Govan Mbeki would be closed.
Qhina said stinking rubbish was piling up all over the area and children were getting sick as a result. There were more than 6 000 people living in Marikana, she said.
Another protester, Lungile Ntwanambi, 34, said it was pathetic that the city was not providing water and toilets, but two months ago the community of Marikana won a court battle to live on the privately owned land. “We thought by now the City would be on board and work with us, but we were wrong. This is ridiculous because people are getting sick here,” he said.
“We don’t like burning tyres, holding traffic up and inconveniencing road users, but we have no choice but to voice our anger in a manner that everyone will see our plight.”
Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, the City’s manager of special projects and community engagement, said the City would see if it is feasible to provide services in the interest of public health.
“It is still foreseen that the provision of services such as water, toilets and cleaning will be provided on the abutting council property and not on the private land,” he said.