After electricity and service delivery woes resulted in a disruptive protest on Monday, Soweto residents on Tuesday delivered memorandums with their grievances to Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse, who promised to respond within two weeks.
“We will go through everything in the memorandums and we ask for 14 days to have a discussion among ourselves. At the end of the 14 days, we will call your leadership and give them a progress report on how the discussions were going and what the turnaround plan will be,” said Phalatse.
One of the demands was for the eradication of informal settlements, which some community members say are a source of crime.
“We heard your cries and we will give attention to your grievances,” said Phalatse.
She said the MMC for environment and infrastructure services, Michael Sun, would handle all issues relating to electricity; the MMC for housing, Mlungisi Mabaso, would handle informal settlements; and the MMC for community safety, David Tembe, would deal with safety issues.
Phalatse has urged Treasury and Eskom draw up a plan to resolve Soweto’s electricity crisis.
“It only applies to city-related debt. I do think that Eskom and National Treasury need to think of a plan because they don’t have the money to pay for the historical debt but are willing to pay going forward. Perhaps that is a conversation that needs to be had.”
