There is no end in sight to the ongoing protest by hundreds of residents in Diepsloot after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said there are no plans for the president to visit the area soon.
Magwenya said on Thursday that the president’s schedule is full for the next two weeks, which was not received well by the residents who want Ramaphosa to personally address them and come up with solutions to crime in the area.
“We cannot suspend the strike anymore. Nothing will be fully operational today [Thursday] until Ramaphosa comes here,” said Lifa Nkala, a community leader, instructing businesses in the area to close.
“We want the attention of the president, not the ministers or the police. We heard that the Presidency will be coming to the area tomorrow, however, we will not stop the strike until they come.”
Tensions ran high when the police intervened in an attempt to stop the protest. They opened fire at the protestors and effected arrests. Nkala was among those arrested.
Leading a huge crowd down the streets of the township before his arrest, Nkala had declared that the residents will not be intimidated by the police.
Meanwhile, it was rumoured that City of Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda would visit Diepsloot on Thursday. However, he had not arrived in the area at the time of publishing.
On Wednesday, Gwamanda paid a visit to Diepkloof hostel residents in Soweto after a week of violent service-delivery protests.
Gwamanda assured the hostel dwellers that the city will soon begin work on electricity installations in the area.
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