Sowetan: Give us houses or face revolt

http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=746210

Give us houses or face revolt

Ntwaagae Seleka

HOUSING ANGER: Angry residents of Zone 20, Sebokeng, were yesterday chanting slogans against poor sevice delivery and accusing their local municipality of neglecting them. PHOTO: LEN KUMALO

Council given week’s ultimatum

Residents of Sebokeng in the Vaal have threatened to go on a rampage if their demands for better housing are not met by their local municipality.

Yesterday the residents handed a memorandum of grievances to the officials of Emfuleni municipality at the end of a protest march.

They said if their demands were not met within seven days “there will be chaos at Sebokeng Zone 20 RDP houses”.

Community leader Patrick Sindane said they were angered by the state of the RDP houses in the area.

Sindane said: “Those houses are a serious threat to the occupants because they may collapse at any time and we need the municipality to rebuild them immediately.”

He accused Eskom of removing electrical meter boxes from houses and replacing them with new ones without proper consultation with residents.

“Our area has now been infested with snakes because of an open veld in the neighbourhood. People’s lives are in danger and our ward councillor is aware but they are doing nothing,” said Sindane.

Marchers also accused their ward councillor Madisebo Khomoasera of ignoring their demands and called for her removal.

Representatives from Emfuleni, Eskom and Khomoasera accepted the memorandum and promised to respond soon.