"This is the power house of corruption," shouted the Unemployed People's Movement's Ayanda Kota, as he addressed Grahamstown East residents in front of the City Hall on Friday, where they toyi-toyied for access to water, jobs and a safer city.
"This is the power house of corruption," shouted the Unemployed People's Movement's Ayanda Kota, as he addressed Grahamstown East residents in front of the City Hall on Friday, where they toyi-toyied for access to water, jobs and a safer city.
"We are asking for water," sang Grahamstown East residents mostly from Joza. They were closely watched by about seven police officers, who stood nearby while they angrily chanted, "No vote, No water!", singling out Ward 7 Councillor Nomhle Gaga for criticism in this respect.
As emotions got high, a security guard locked the gates at the entrance to the City Hall. The protesters complained that they had had no water since last year and hadn't been told why. Joza resident Nozuko Mzabo said after a sporadic supply, she had spent November and the Christmas holidays entirely without water. "We have no water to flush our toilets. I am fed up with this," said Mzabo. "It is unhealthy."
Another Joza resident, Phumeza Ntabeni described how she had to fetch water in a bucket from the tanks at Noluthando Hall several times a day. "The day has come for us to fight back, we are fighting for ourselves today," said Kota, who also raised allegations of corruption in the municipality's employment selection process.
"We are declaring this day of justice," Kota announced to the crowd, who had begun their march at the High Court, where they protested as a man accused of the rape and murder of a Nombulelo Secondary School pupil applied for bail. From the city hall, the toyi-toyiing group moved the protest to the police station on Beaufort Street.
