Cape Town - Swellendam residents are asking those responsible for torching the municipal offices to come forward.
Monwabisi Mtywanga, one of the people arrested on August 15, said they marched to the mayor’s office in the hope to get back the indigent subsidy.
“I am visually impaired but I was one of the people taken into custody for the offices burnt. We want those who were responsible for the incident to be arrested, please report them to the police. We were arrested before we even got to town, so we don’t know who did that.”
This is the second protest about the free 50 units that they said they weren’t informed they would have to reapply for.
Stanley Dlelewele said they decided to embark on the peaceful march after they saw a Facebook post sent by mayor Francois du Rand that stated that the policy that was effected on July 1 wouldn’t change.
Community members also said they needed water and sanitation.
“We met with the mayor and he said he would come back to us, and before he came back he went on Facebook and said the policy will remain.
“We don’t like that he changed the policy, even with the informal settlement residents who should automatically be included in the database of the beneficiaries,” Dlelewele said.
“They didn’t engage us, they didn’t ask for our participation, and now we want our free units. He apologised to the community but they said they would only speak to us when they receive what was taken from them.”
Du Rand told the Cape Argus there was a miscommunication between the authorities and the community members.
“The Matjoks residents don’t pay for any services, and what we asked was that they apply for the subsidy and those who qualify would either get 50 or 20 units.
“We set up a control office for people to apply and ask any questions when they want to understand about the policy.
“We have asked law enforcement officers to assist the communities to fill out the affidavits stating that they are unemployed,” the mayor said.
“The policy was translated into three languages and was very simple to understand. I guess the councillors aren’t explaining the policy to residents.”
They presented a memorandum to the municipality that said yesterday marked a decisive moment in the history and struggle of the people of the Swellendam municipal area.
“The goal is to demand that Swellendam Municipality revise their entire Electricity Tariff Setting and Indigence Policy and their inadequate implementation of public participation.”
The community members also demanded that the high electricity tariffs be reviewed.
The mayor accepted the document and said he would respond by September 4.
ANC provincial spokesperson Muhammad Khalid Sayed was also presented with the memorandum, which he said he would hand over to Department of Co-operative Governance Minister Thembi Nkadimeng.