Protest over delivery underway in Joburg
2012-09-06 14:32
Johannesburg - About 200 people gathered in Johannesburg's Beyers Naude Square on Thursday for a march about poor service delivery.
Members of the SA Communist Party, the Congress of SA Trade Unions and the SA National Civic Organisation braved the cold and wet weather to take part.
The march to the office of Mayor Parks Tau was scheduled to start at 10:00, but moved off only at noon because some protesters arrived late.
The crowd waved placards highlighting their complaints.
One read: "Who said Mountainview a zoo." Another demanded clinics, schools, housing, water and police stations for Mountainview.
Anchorville resident Nombulelo Mashalaba said politicians had been promising basic amenities such as roads, electricity and sanitation since she arrived in the area in December 2008, but that these had not materialised.
"It's just empty promises," she said.
She hoped the mayor would respond to their appeals.
Mashalaba and a group of women said they needed scholar transport, in particular, as their children had to travel long distances to get to school.
"It costs R180 each month for my children to get to school."
Another resident, who identified himself only as Abraham, said residents had been told to leave their homes because they were built on dolomitic rock.
"If they want us to move, they must move us somewhere else, and they must move our shacks too."
- SAPA
