About 300 residents of Swellendam marched to the municipal offices on Wednesday, demanding a review of the indigent system and rate rebates for pensioners.
Also read: Swellendam Municipality expects more protests this week
The group marched from the Railton suburb to the municipal offices, the second gathering in two weeks, to hand over a memorandum of demands. The previous protest had turned violent, the Daily Maverick reports, with residents torching municipal offices and looting shops.
This time, a heavy police presence accompanied the protestors, some even dressed in riot gear. Executive Mayor Francois du Rand of the Democratic Alliance pledged to respond in writing to the memorandum by Monday, 4 September.
During the march, shops closed, and several shopkeepers could be seen viewing the group outside boarded-up doors.
Explore Cape Town and its surroundings with these incredible deals on cars for under 100k. Find car listings here.
‘Out of the 2,500 shacks in the region, only 200 have electrical metre boxes, and there is no water in the informal settlements, where around 20 people share one toilet,’ community member Mowabisi Mtyanga told the crowd. ‘As a community, we are struggling since we can’t afford to pay for water or power because the costs are too high.’
He says more than 100 people have to ‘use the bushes to discharge themselves’ due to a shortage of water sanitation. ‘We also have ladies and children living with us. It is terrible cause safety is also a concern.’
According to the memorandum, some of the demands included:
- An amendment to the withdrawal of the municipality’s Indigent Policy, calling for a review and more public participation
- Returning 50 free electricity units as well as 20 free units
- The memorandum also calls for the municipality to adhere to the rule of law, ‘not only when it suits Swellendam Municipality, but also where citizens are affected’
- The immediate removal of ‘the unregulated R11.62 added for potholes to subsidize the Indraftructure Department’
- Pensioners should automatically receive rebates which must include free units similar to indigent, and fixed charges and levies should be waived for pensioners. ‘The long queues and red tape, draining pensioners when they repeatedly have to reapply for their rebate is shameful’
- Street lights must be switched off during the day to save electricity as this cost is included in the unregulated portion of the tariff
On 29 August, Du Rand released a statement in which he stated that the municipality operates within the bounds of the responsibilities and powers granted by the Constitution.
‘While we sympathise with the concerns raised in the petition, it’s essential to recognise that certain matters are governed by constitutional provisions that cannot be altered or amended by a local municipality.’
‘Matters subject to higher legislative authority are addressed at those levels, and we must adhere to the established legal principles. We value your dedication to our community and encourage you to continue engaging in constructive dialogue and civic participation. If issues fall within our jurisdiction and mandate, we remain committed to addressing them to the best of our abilities within the legal framework provided.’
Read the full statement below:
Cape {town} Etc discount: Enjoy a camping trip with your friends or family with this two-night stay for six at the Bosrivier Camp in the Cederberg for just R699 (valued at R1 404). Get the deal here.
Also read:
Swellendam municipal building set ablaze amid service delivery protests
Picture: Swellendam Municipality – SWEMun