Pretoria - "We don't“ have to come out in our numbers but we will have our say because the law and constitution are behind us.”
These were the sentiments shared by the handful of Mabopane community members who took to demonstrating at the entrance of Sun International’s Time Square Arena at the Menlyn casino complex today.
The community members, no more than 20, said they had come to the doorstep of Sun International in order for it to do right by the community.
Khanyiso Nhloko, Secretary-General of the Mabopane Farmers Co-operative, said the few community members that could make it had come to the doorstep to show people how the gambling giant was taking advantage of poor and or previously disadvantaged communities.
Nhloko said although very few community members had managed to make it, those who had would continue to demonstrate.
“Not all of our us could make it because we’re from a poor community. If we were from a rich neighbourhood then we would have a team of lawyers, be able to mobilise special interest groups, be able to rent buses and come here.”
“In order for justice to be done you don’t need a million people telling the judge what to do, all you need is one complainant who's got it right and they know what they are talking about.”
Nhloko said the community members had postponed the planned night vigil to March 29, to allow for more members to come out but they would definitely be coming back.
According to community members who also took to protesting outside Morula @Goldrush last week, Sun International had failed to honour part of the obligations they were meant to fulfil to the community of Mabopane as part of relocating the gambling licence to Menlyn.
They allege the gambling giant was supposed to have built a hospitality and gaming school at @Goldrush and ploughed back into the community the tune of R950 million.