Pretoria - Calm has been restored in Tembisa “for now” after a two-day protest that has left a trail of destruction with four dead, hundreds injured, millions of rands in damages to public infrastructure and most parts of the Ekurhuleni township without power.
Residents on Monday and Tuesday blockaded roads with burning tyres, rocks and heavy metal objects in protest over service delivery and “expensive” rates, taxes and high electricity bills. They also prevented people from going to work.
During the protest on Monday four people died. Two were allegedly shot by police while the other two were near an ATM that exploded while they were trying to break into it during the mayhem.
By Wednesday morning school children were back at school while residents returned to work. The blockades on the streets were clearer and taxis were plying their routes.
However, residents warned that the suspension of the protest relied on Ekurhuleni mayor Tania Campbell’s promise to meet and address their demands on Friday.
Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Urban Planning and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Lebogang Maile met with Campbell and the Tembisa Community Forum (TCF) leadership at the Tembisa police station today.
Speaking to Pretoria News after the meeting TCF chairperson Zamani Sithole said they had asked residents to suspend the protests.
He said: “We have asked the people to suspend the protest. So yes I can confirm to you that the protest is over. However, we can't control everybody. Some will continue without our control.”
Another resident, 42-year-old Pule Matshile said the protest would only be suspended for the next two days depending on what the mayor (Campbell) had to say to them.
“It really all depends on feedback from the mayor. But other than that a lot of people went to work today and children went to school. It will all depend on what happens on Friday,” Matshile said.
Maile called for residents to demonstrate peacefully when they take to the streets.
He called for calm saying the government was on top of the situation.
Pretoria News