http://www.dailynews.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=5234313

South Durban residents in service delivery march

November 06, 2009 Edition 2

MPUME MADLALA

More than 250 South Durban residents and Abahlali baseMjondolo supporters marched down Pixley Kasema (West) Street to Durban City Hall to protest against poor service delivery.

The marchers, mostly dressed in white Wentworth Development Forum T-shirts, shouted slogans like: “Down with Eskom’s high rates” and carried banners reading “Dear mayor, please fire Sutcliffe”, “Logie Naidoo, please bring Clairwood back to former glory” and “Stop the talk implement the upgrade of Wentworth”.

The residents said they had a right to decent housing, redevelopment, affordable electricity rates and a pollution-free environment.

South Durban Community Environmental Alliance co-ordinator Desmond D’Sa said residents were concerned about the lack of housing delivery.

“They are worried about the fact that the flats they live in are not upgraded and maintained, yet the municipality and provincial housing wants to transfer ownership (to tenants),” D’Sa said.

D’Sa said Eskom and the eThekwini Municipality had recently increased electricity and water tariffs to an unaffordable rate. “Since then we have seen communities deprived of water and lights. Further tariff increases by Eskom will affect the poor and marginalised which will result in an increase in electricity cut-offs to their homes,” he said.

D’Sa said the marchers would proceed to the City Hall and then to the offices of the provincial Housing Department where memorandums will be handed over to officials.

“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,” he said.