The Wentworth Development Forum will be marching in protest tomorrow. Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM) will be sending a delegation to support the protest. For comment on support for this protest by AbM contact Mnikelo Ndabankulu on 079 745 0653.
CALLING THE COMMUNITIES
COMMUNITIES FROM ALL OVER DURBAN WILL BE PROTESTING BECAUSE OF A LACK OF SERVICE DELIVERY FRIDAY 6TH NOVEMBER
The communities of South Durban and other parts will no longer sit idle while its fundamental rights are compromised. Like other communities, we have rights to decent housing, redevelopment, affordable electricity rates, ownership of long rented and paid for units, affordable rent, proper recreational facilities, a pollution free environment and a right to be listened to when we voice our views. The South Durban community are strongly concerned with the lack of housing delivery for the overcrowded of their community. They are worried with the fact that the flats they presently live are not upgraded and maintained yet the municipality and Provincial Housing wants to transfer to ownership.
ESKOM and the eThekwini municipality has recently as 1st July2009 increased the electricity and water tariff’s to unaffordable rate and since then we have seen communities deprived of water and lights. Further tariff increases by Eskom will affect the poor and marginalized which will result in an increase in electricity cut offs to their homes.
On 6 November 2009, the South Durban community together with sister organizations and communities will lead a march to the City Hall after which it will proceed to the offices of the provincial housing department to issues memorandums to both these government structures. We will also be sending a letter to the Department of Social Welfare and Development demanding that all pensioners be exempt from paying tax and bank charges. Our list of demands to the provincial and metro governments is the following:
MEMORANDUM OF GRIEVANCES
We the community of Wentworth gathered here today hereby demonstrate our anger and disappointment with the following:
1. The water and electricity bills that are extremely exorbitant thus being unaffordable to the pensioners, the grant earners, the poor and unemployed;
2. The bellicose attitude adapted by the EThekwini Metro council in dealing with the Barracks community and the arrogance that council displayed when it refused to entertain any further discussions regarding the Lansdowne project. Remember that Nigel Gumede told the community to go to hell and threatened to allocate people from outside Wentworth in the Lansdowne project which was intended for the Barracks community;
3. Lack of provision of basic services like:
3.1 Street cleaning
3.2 Cleaning of parks and repair of recreational facilities;
3.3 Refuse removal
4. Threatening to rezone residential land in order to extend pollution
We therefore demand the following:
a) The reduction of water and electricity costs as basic human necessities so as to make it available and affordable to all in line with the provisions of the constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act No 108 of 1996 as amended from time to time;
b) That there be a meeting between the WDF/Barracks Committee and Metro representative (housing) as a matter of urgency to discuss the Lansdowne Road project further;
c) That we be given written guarantees that basic services shall be provided and that a task team consisting of Metro staff and members nominated by the community be established to monitor the provision of the basic services;
d) That the plan of rezoning the residential land in order to provide Engen with more land be abandoned forthwith
For Further information or transport: Call Desmond D’Sa cell 0839826939.
A People United will never be defeated