Progress protesters not happy with MMC’s anouncement

The meeting between the community of Plot Eight/Mhlangeni and MMC for Housing, Dan Bovu, that took place at 5pm on 5 February went down orderly under the supervision of a heavy SAPS contingent.

The informal settlers however were not pleased with the answers that Bovu brought to the table. Bovu announced that a meeting would be held between community leaders and city officials at the Roodepoort Civic Centre on 19 February. He also told the crowd that the City was busy with negotiations to buy a tract of land known as ‘Westgate Nine’ to develop for housing for the community.

The community was unhappy, saying that they did not know where the ‘Westgate Nine’ property was situated or if it even existed. Furthermore they demanded to see a lease agreement between the owner of the land and the City to prove that the City was engaging in the negotiations. They also said that they wanted title deeds that would prove their ownership of the land.

Although a date has not been decided on yet, a mass march to the Johannesburg Civic Centre by the communities of Leratong Village, Mhlangeni, Durban Deep and Matholesville will take place.

Progress Road to be closed but rumour not true — 5 February

A BBM doing the rounds regarding the Progress protesters planning to invade properties is not true, according to Mathys van Rensburg of the Witpoortjie Neighbourhood Watch.

Van Rensburg says that people are panicking because the BBM creates the impression that it was sent out by the neighbourhood watch, which is not true.

Progress Road will be closed this evening though, but because a meeting will be held between the MMC for Housing, Dan Bovu, and the residents of the informal settlement.

This is a planned closure by the SAPS and a measure to contain the situation.
Progress Road will be closed from Corlett Avenue to the intersection Nick Toomey Boulevard and Progress Road.

The meeting is scheduled for between 4pm and 5pm and motorists are advised to avoid this stretch of road.

Van Rensburg says that he does not foresee that the meeting will turn violent but that if it does, the SAPS and neighbourhood watch will take action

Progress protesters take to the street again — 8am

Angry residents from the Plot 8 informal settlement on Progress Road, Lindhaven, have forced law-enforcement agencies for the second time in three days to close sections of the road as they went on a rampage on the evening of 4 February.

A large angry mob of residents from this settlement took to the streets at approximately 6.45pm, burning numerous objects, vandalising traffic lights, singing and chanting slogans.

The Record was warned by community leaders not to engage with the mob or to try and take photographs as they were extremely hostile. Residents along the road were insulted and chased into their properties with sticks and sjamboks.

Members of the Witpoortjie Neighbourhood Watch, SAPS and JMPD had to close the road at the intersections of Nick Toomey Boulevard as well as Corlett Avenue.

Gauteng MMC for Housing, Dan Bovu, was called to the scene and after negotiations it was agreed that he would meet with the community today, 5 February.

The protesters finally dispersed at approximately 9pm after which the neighbourhood watch cleaned up the street.

Homeowners the Record spoke to said they were dismayed and living in fear. They once again said that they felt that police is not doing enough to curb situations such as these.

Progress burns as more protests erupts — 3 February

A violent mob consisting of residents from the informal settlement on Plot 8 in Lindhaven took to the streets at approximately 1pm on 2 February.

According to Witpoortjie Neighbourhood Watch member, Mathys van Rensburg the crowd moved from the dip in Progress Road where they were burning tyres and logs right up to the intersection of Corlett Avenue and Progress Road, vandalising property and traffic lights.

The neighbourhood watch immediately blockaded the road so that the public could not get into harm’s away.

The SAPS’ Public Order Policing (Pop) unit and Tactical Response Team arrived at approximately 3pm. This also saw the destructive and violent behaviour of the crowd intensifying over the following two hours. Pop eventually had to use teargas, rubber bullets and shotguns to disperse the crowd.

By 6pm calm was restored and the neighbourhood watch started a cleaning-up operation. Although there were rumours that the mob would return later that night the heavy rains prevented more protest action.

The disgruntled residents from Plot 8 allegedly demand housing and better service delivery.