The City of Cape Town and the Western Cape provincial government has stated that it will not buy land from Ross Demolition to build houses for Siqalo residents as the land is “not fit for human habitation”.
The conflict between the Siqalo and Mitchell’s Plain communities flared up late on Thursday, despite the suspension by Siqalo of their protest action. Police fired on a gathering of Mitchell’s Plain residents, killing one and wounding two.
The situation was calm at Siqalo informal settlement on Thursday morning following a protest for land, housing and provision of better services by the City of Cape Town. The protest, which saw the barricading of Jakes Gerwel Drive with burning tyres and communal waste containers, resulted in a counter-protest from residents of Colorado Park. The protest has been suspended following a meeting between community groups in Mitchell’s Plain.
In what was a show of force to the rival federation SAFTU and to opposition parties ahead of the 2019 general elections, COSATU and tripartite alliance leaders used the platform of Workers’ Day to defend the proposed labour law amendments and national minimum wage.
Community and EFF members threaten to shutdown Khayelitsha District Hospital if the service it provides does not improve.
Unions and communities marched against the steep tariff increases that the City of Cape Town is proposing.
In a show of power, about 6,000 workers and community members in Cape Town marched against the proposed minimum wage and labour law amendments.
Organisations that work with refugees and asylum seekers in Cape Town are concerned that the Refugee Centre remains closed despite a court ruling that it be opened.
In December 2017 Glebelands rogue cop, the detective from Durban Central SAPS, Sgt Bhekukwazi Mdweshu and 6 other alleged hitmen were arrested and charged with 19 counts of murder, attempted murder, possession of prohibited firearms and ammunition as well us under the Riotous Assemblies Act for conspiring to eliminate Glebelands residents. They have become known as the Glebelands 7. Two of the 7 are also charged with other Glebelands murder cases, of which one was recently sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a Glebelands grandmother in 2017. Bail applications for the remaining 5 are ongoing.
Bus drivers went on a national strike demanding better working conditions that include salary increases, insourcing and medical aid benefits for the drivers.
The Moerane Commission concluded its work on 18 March and has until the end of April to submit its report and recommendations to the Premier, Willies Mchunu. After that it will be tabled for discussion at provincial level, go back to the Commission for final amendments, and only after that, it might be made public. The Premier’s office initially stated that it would not release the report, then it stated that “no decision not to release the report has been made” following a public outcry.
Recently staff at the eThekwini Municipality bus depots reported that around 80% of the service had been rerouted – free of charge (ie at ratepayers expense) – to transport Jacob Zuma’s supporters to his latest court appearance. This left commuters stranded all over Durban. It was especially hard for poor people who had already charged their prepaid Muvo cards and were forced to suddenly find extra cash for alternative transport.
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