Daily Maverick
Dailymaverick logo

South Africa

South Africa, Maverick News

Swellendam protestors demand end to indigent policy, improved services — DA touts political meddling

Swellendam protestors demand end to indigent policy, improved services — DA touts political meddling
Swellendam residents march underneath the N2 to the municipal offices in town. 30 August 2023. (Photo: Shelley Christians)
Suné Payne and Samane Jnr Marks 
By Suné Payne and Samane Jnr Marks 
30 Aug 2023
Facebook
4
A group of about 300 Swellendam residents marched to the municipal offices on Wednesday over various issues in the municipal area — the second gathering in two weeks. Some of the issues raised by the residents include a review of the indigent system and rates rebates for pensioners. 

On Wednesday 30 August, about 300 residents of Swellendam marched from the suburb of Railton to the town’s municipal offices with a seven-point memorandum of demands. The march followed a protest two weeks ago that turned violent, leaving municipal offices torched and shops looted.  

Read more in Daily Maverick: A day of chaos – Swellendam protesters torch municipal offices over ‘racism’, service delivery neglect 

The municipal building that was burnt during the previous protest on the 17 August. 30 August 2023. Photo: Shelley Christians



A heavy police presence followed the crowd in Railton with several public order police vans spotted in the area. However, this time, executive mayor Francois du Rand (DA) pledged to respond in writing to a memorandum by Monday 4 September. 

Police n Swellendam There was a heavy police presence with several public order police vans in the area in Swellendam on 30 August, 2023. (Photo: Shelley Christians)



Walking through Railton, situated near the N2 highway, Daily Maverick saw several potholes in the street. There were faeces strewn on the ground as several cattle walked across the road. Residents saw the group and while some joined the protest, others watched from their homes. 

The marchers walked from Railton and into the Swellendam town centre, crossing the N2 via an underpass. This was where several police officers changed into riot gear. The town emptied as shops started to close. In the main road leading to the municipal offices, several shopkeepers sat outside boarded-up doors, looking out for the marchers. 

Daily Maverick saw a group of seven people clad in yellow and orange reflector bibs with the label ‘Afriforum buurtwag’ written on the back.

Swellendam march This is the second gathering in three weeks, the last one was violent and a municipal building was burnt and stores looted. 30 August, 2023. (Photo: Shelley Christians)



The group made its way to the municipal office, which had been burnt previously. Community member Monwabisi Mtyanga told the crowd: “Out of the 2,500 shacks in the region, only 200 have electrical metre boxes, and there is no water in the informal settlements, where around 20 people share one toilet”.

“As a community, we are struggling since we can’t afford to pay for water or power because the costs are too high,” Mtyanga said. 

Railton residents are silhouetted while marching to the municipal offices in Swellendam. 30 August 2023. (Photo: Shelley Christians)



Due to a shortage of water and sanitation, he said that “over 100 people use the bushes to discharge themselves. We also have ladies and children living with us. It is terrible cause safety is also a concern”. 

The memorandum was read by Riaan Jonas, who was with the ANC. Some of the demands — read aloud in both English and isiXhosa included: 

  • The amendment of the withdrawal of the municipality’s Indigent Policy — this need to have a review and more public participation;

  • The bringing back of 50 free electricity units as well as 20 free units;

  • The municipality must adhere to the rule of law, “not only when it suits Swellendam Municipality, but also where citizens are affected”;

  • Immediate removal of “the unregulated R11.62 added for potholes to subsidize the Infrastructure Department”;

  • Pensioners should automatically receive rebates which must include free units similar to indigent, and fixed charges and levies should be waived for pensioners. “The long queues and red tape, draining pensioners when they repeatedly have to reapply for their rebate is shameful,” read the memorandum; and

  • Street lights must be switched off during the day to save electricity as this cost is included in the unregulated portion of the tariff.


Swellendam residents A resident watches the march from her home in Railton, Swellendam on 30 August, 2023. (Photo: Shelley Christians)



One of the marchers, Monica Bokoto — who lived in Swellendam since 1995 — told Daily Maverick, “pay electricity with R100 and you’ll receive as little as 20 units. We’re living like pigs here in Swellendam, hence the community has decided to raise and take to the street their grave concerns”. Bokoto, a resident of the Majoks informal settlement said “The mayor is against us, he stays in town and sees Majoks as a weapon of mass devastation, he never comes to hear our complaints or worries”. 

Bokoto added: “I am now disgruntled because living without electricity and deplorable sanitation levels isn’t a nice thing — I am a woman”.

Another resident of Majoks, Garreth Maneval (30) highlighted the indigent policy and how it failed him. 

“Due to all the new implementations that have impacted us, especially those of us from low-income households, he said I now purchase electricity for 20 rands and receive 4 units,” he said. 

Maneval described the municipality as ‘poorly run’ as within the settlement, “water flows down our yards and streets, and trust me, I have two kids who are constantly playing in the filthy water”. 

Swellendam protesters Garreth Maneval (Black cap) marches with community member Monwabisi Mtyanga (Springbok jersey). They want a review of the municipality’s Indigent Policy, Swellendam on 30 August, 2023. (Photo: Shelley Christians)



‘Don’t be scared to talk to your people’

When the speaker of the day, community member Monwabisi Mtyanga finished his words, the crowd called to mayor Francois du Rand, “don’t be scared to talk to your people, come closer” and “the police didn’t vote for you, the community did”. At that point, du Rand had stood behind a group of police officials. 

Mayor Francois du Rand Mayor Francois du Rand stood behind the police until he accepted the memorandum handed to him by Railton residents, Swellendam on 30 August, 2023. (Photo: Shelley Christians)



Du Rand then moved closer to the crowd. In accepting the memorandum, he said, “I will be the designated person engaging with your representatives like we have done last week”. Du Rand added, “the indigent policy should go for people that qualify — that is what it is there for, the people who cannot pay their municipal bill. That is what the indigent grant is there for”. 

Du Rand said he would have “answers to every point on Monday 4 September — I’ll try to do it in the morning already and I will tell you exactly where I will deliver”. 

Swellendam residents march Swellendam residents march underneath the N2 to the municipal offices in town. 30 August 2023. (Photo: Shelley Christians)



After the mayor spoke, Muhammad Khalid Sayed, ANC Western Cape spokesperson and deputy chief whip of the party in the legislature, said the party would raise the issues highlighted in the memorandum within the legislature and “hold MEC Anton Bredell, MEC for Local Government accountable for this because he has failed to provide proper oversight over the work of the municipality”. 

Swellendam is controlled by the DA in coalition with the Freedom Front Plus, while the ANC is in opposition benches in the council. Previously, the DA wrote to the South African Police Service and called on them to investigate the possibility of party interference in the protests. 

Sayed added that the memorandum would also be sent to Thembi Nkadimeng, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. This action, Sayed said was to underline the ‘political importance’ of the issues raised in the memorandum because “national government has a right to intervene in local government matters, especially because the funding for the conditional grants comes from national government”.

The march then ended. DM

Categories:

Tags: