Sebokeng protest ‘not about services’

Residents of the Princess informal settlement near Roodepoort protest on Albertina Sisulu Road (Formerly Main Reef Road).Residents are protesting a lack of housing and service delivery in the area. Picture: Wesley Fester 210114

Residents of the Princess informal settlement near Roodepoort protest on Albertina Sisulu Road (Formerly Main Reef Road).Residents are protesting a lack of housing and service delivery in the area. Picture: Wesley Fester 210114

Published Feb 5, 2014

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Johannesburg - The Emfuleni local municipality on Wednesday said a protest in Sebokeng, south of Johannesburg, was not about service delivery.

“The municipality wants to put it on record that the protest has nothing to do with provision of basic services,” Emfuleni mayor Greta Hlongwane said in statement.

She said the protests were related to a housing development in the area, which was the Gauteng housing department's responsibility.

“It is unfortunate that this matter has now affected the entire community of Sebokeng. We have been engaging with the Boiketlong community through a series of meetings where we explained that the provincial housing department is in talks with the owners of the private land where the housing development is supposed to take place,” Hlongwane said.

Sebokeng residents blocked roads with burning tyres, stones, and trees on Wednesday morning.

“I have personally expressed my support to them regarding housing development. However, we need to allow the process to be completed so that development can take place.”

Roads from Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging were closed due to the protest, police spokesman Captain Tshekiso Mofokeng said.

No arrests had been made.

Sapa

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