There is no sign of a march to Tshwane House in Pretoria where Executive Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa will deliver the State of the City Address.
The South African Civic Organisation (Sanco) organised the march under the #TswhaneShutdown movement. Sanco said earlier that it does not need permission to stage a protest march to highlight the plight of the community.
The organisation’s statement came after the Tshwane Metro Police warned members of the public not to participate in an unprotected #TshwaneShutdown protest march.
The protest march is against lack of service delivery.
Sanco Chairperson in Tshwane, Abram Mashishi, says marching is a constitutional right.
“Remember, in terms of the new Constitutional Court (ruling), you no longer apply to march. It’s a democratic right. So, the community has given us the mandate.”
Tshwane residents form Soshanguve, Mamelodi and Hammaskraal embarked on a #TshwaneShutdown protest march against lack of service delivery. Some roads were blockaded with burning tyres and rocks, forcing motorists to manoeuvre their way around the townships to access roads leading out of the townships.
Police Spokesperson, Kay Makhubela says the situation around Tshwane is calm.
“The situation is calm. Everything is under control and we’re restoring order. And we will continue to make sure that those who are involved in perpetrating crimes are arrested.”
Mayor Mokgalapa says the DA-led council will not be deterred from delivering decent services to its citizens.
Mokgalapa says they’ve inherited derelict service providers from the previous administration which sought to derail service delivery.
In his first Sate of the City address Mokgalapa said the city had the responsibility to clean up its house to ensure economic growth.
The city was recently embroiled in a controversial tender with Glad Africa. The R12 billion tender led to a toxic relationship between the DA administration and its coalition partners, the ANC and the EFF.
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