Gqeberha ward councillor leads protest for services in Soweto-on-Sea

Senior land and planning official in Nelson Mandela Bay Owethu Phantshwa (left) meets protesters, including ANC ward 24 Councillor Xolile Vingqi (far right). Photo: Thamsanqa Mbovane

About 50 residents of Soweto-on-Sea, led by ANC ward 24 Councillor Xolile Vingqi, for three hours on Wednesday morning blocked entry to the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Lillian Diedricks Building in central Gqeberha.

Residents demonstrated from 9am to noon, demanding street lights and tarred roads, and that their old RDP houses be fixed.

Bukeka Hena, 68, complained that they still have gravel roads in ward 24.

Nandipha Mshweshwe said a project to pave Quatro Street was left half-done.

“We have been fooled since I was 12-years-old in ward 24,” said Xolisa Malidaka. “Today, I am 46 years old, living in streets with half-done tar roads. Certain houses were renovated, others were left unfinished. We were told they would come back to fix some of our houses built in 1994, but they never did.”

Councillor Xolile Vingqi (ANC) carried a petition. He said he is inundated with questions from residents about stalled projects.

“We are demanding answers within seven days. We will mobilise other wards – 26 and 27 – in the near future,” he said.

Nelson Mandela Bay senior director of land and planning Owethu Phantshwa arrived together with Madoda Mcwabeni, a human settlements manager. Patshwa said, “We will respond to their seven day petition on Thursday next week.”

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