Phoenix residents from Unit 12, which includes Westham Drive, Lenham Drive and Hexham Road, on Wednesday protested by blocking several roads with burning trees, tyres and refuse over ongoing power and water outages.
When “The Mercury” arrived, a group of angry residents confronted the police over their use of rubber bullets and teargas, claiming that they were peacefully protesting for their right to electricity and water.
Samantha Sheik said she had gone to collect her children from school after it was announced that it would be closing. Upon their return residents were protesting, she said.
“The police shot at us with rubber bullets and they sprayed us with teargas. My 10-year-old son and I were choking and we managed to run into a yard just to safeguard ourselves,” she said.
Nonkululeko Suoane said they have not had water or electricity for two weeks. “We decided to take it to the streets. We are not fighting, we just want to be heard because our food has gone bad but we are being teargassed and shot with rubber bullets.”
Provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala, said police used minimum force to disperse the crowd.
“Two suspects aged 27 and 29 were arrested for public violence and damage to infrastructure. Another 42-year-old man was found in unlawful possession of a firearm and 15 rounds of ammunition,” she said, adding that the suspects will appear in court soon.
Sally Manoojahdass said water supply was a major problem.
“There’s always a problem with the water supply, there’s always two hours of water in the morning and it cuts off.
“Some days we go the entire day or weekends without water. It’s extremely difficult living in these conditions,” she said.
Manoojahdass said they were forced to throw away food that was going bad in their freezers.
“We don’t have money, we come from a community that doesn’t have everything so the little we have gets wasted in this way.”
She said residents are mentally, physically and emotionally drained.
“The mayor needs to sort this problem out once and for all, we are sick and we are tired.”
Two Grade 10 pupils said their school closed early and they missed the history and life sciences exam on Wednesday but were requested to return to school on Thursday.
Nomsa Rapoa said if the power and water is not restored she will not be voting in the May 29 election.
“No one came here to tell us what the problem is but when they need votes they come and scream here ‘come and vote’,” she said.
In a briefing on Wednesday regarding the service delivery service plan, eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said striking workers had started returning to work on Tuesday but the municipality is facing a massive service delivery backlog due to the illegal industrial action.
“We are confident that today the number (of striking workers returning to work) has increased.
“This gives us hope that the service delivery challenges we have been facing will now be resolved,” the mayor said.
The Mercury