We have only read about service delivery protests. We have never really experienced a service delivery protest here in Protea South. This past Thursday( 8th August) this phenomenon finally arrived in our 'kasi'. And it was not a pretty sight.
We woke up to barricaded streets on Thursday morning. Rocks, stones and all manner of
items( cement slabs, etc) were used to stop vehicles from leaving or entering Protea South. It was not only the streets inside the suburb that were blocked. The bordering roads - like the Chris Hani on the east side and the Ndaba drive on the north side - were also blockaded.
Our neighbours from across( mekhukhung) had decided to make known visibly - on that
day ( Thursday) - their grievances about the unsatisfactory living conditions in their part of Protea South. Primarily, from what could ascertained, this protest was about the lack of electricity in the mekhukhung section. Secondarily, there were other issues like the lack of proper sanitation, the proliferation of Pakistani - owned spaza shops( small business entities selling groceries, run from private homes), etc etc.
Inevitably, this protest turned violent. The protesting mekhukhung residents became engaged in running battles with the police. The police used rubber bullets to try and disperse this crowd of protesters. In the process some protesters were hurt by the rubber bullets, while about 19 of them got arrested.
The police become involved after the protesters - in addition to vandalizing property - started looting the shops around the area. One wholesaler on the Chris Hani road - owned by an Indian - suffered damage to the value of R70 000( or so). And it was not just the shops around the area that felt the effects of this protest. The nearby mall - Protea Gardens - ended up closing because the Eskom transformer supplying it with electricity was vandalized, which left the mall without power. The whole of Protea South suffered the same fate( of lights out) later that evening.
As fellow residents of Protea South we do understand where our neighbours are coming from. We are witness to some of their problems as we live next to them. But what we do have a problem with is the anarchic and violent nature of this protest. These kind of protests belong in the old South Africa. Today we have elected representatives( local councillors) whom we can engage with, or vote out of office if needs be. Besides that, the Protea South mekhukhung section is now a transit camp of sorts. There is process in place move to the mekhukhung residents to a better place called Luferheng. This new place has proper houses and a better infrastructure.
That there was no loss of life during this mayhem is fortuitous. As residents of Protea South we should all be grateful for that.
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THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.
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SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL
GOOD THIS WEEK?
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