Johannesburg - Protesting residents of Ekangala near Bronkhorstspruit, east of Pretoria, on Wednesday demanded improved service delivery in the area.
This followed the torching of various buildings, including a clinic and a house in nearby Rethabiseng.
Locals said they had been in the area since the early 1990s but nothing had been done for them.
During a community meeting, Mita Mothoa from Dark City, a section of Ekangala, said she was still using a pit toilet.
“Tshwane is not treating us right. We don't have toilets and title deeds. It's time we stood up,” she said.
Community leader Petros Molobola told the group gathered at the community hall that residents did not want to fall under the City of Tshwane.
“We never accepted Tshwane, our parents did. We are not Sputla's (mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa's) puppets,” he said.
The area used to fall under the Metsweding municipality but was merged with Tshwane in 2011.
Other residents said they wanted land to build shacks. A site was identified where residents would start building shacks.
“We are going to build them and they (municipality and police) must not remove us,” said one resident.
Before the meeting, a group calling themselves Concerned residents of Ekangala danced in the street with a banner saying “away with Tshwane, give us back our Metsweding”, and “give our title deeds, develop Metsweding, no poor service”.
Earlier in the day, police stopped residents who were marching to the main road to voice their dissatisfaction.
Sapa