ANGRY residents of Ramaphosa and Nomakanjani informal settlements have been barricading Addo Road with burning tyres and stones since Wednesday night, July 12.
The residents took to the streets after the Nelson Mandela Municipality allegedly failed to fulfil its promise to move them. They claimed that Mayor Gary van Niekerk promised to relocate them after he visited the area in February to assess their living conditions.
Community leader Nandipha Windvoel told the Daily Sun that they will not stop protesting until the municipality keeps its promise.
"We moved to this area in 2015 and since then we have no toilets and no electricity. They told us they will not give us services because we built our shacks under power lines," she said.
"We have been dealing with this municipality for quite some time while they were busy providing services to other informal settlements. So, we decided to take our frustration to the streets because that's the only language they understand. We swim when it rains and we can no longer fold our arms. We have been soft for a long time," Nandipha said.
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Van Niekerk said: "I promised the residents of Motherwell that we will go to all the informal settlements and do an assessment, then we will come back and report to them. I have promised the residents that I will come back in February.
"I understand that the residents are angry because they are used to leaders who don't fulfil their promises. Our job is to deliver on our promises, but unfortunately, the problems that the protesting community is facing can be found in others as well. That's why we want to access all informal settlements and then report our findings to them."
Colonel Priscilla Naidu said: "Disgruntled residents of Nomakanjane and Ramaphosa informal settlements blocked the M17 Addo Road and started stoning trucks. A truck carrying oranges was set on fire. The driver was not injured. Another driver transporting manganese crashed into a house wall while trying to avoid the protesters and stones.
"The driver of a manganese truck was also pulled out and the truck set on fire on 13 July. Another truck was attacked and set on fire," said Naidu
