A protest at the Princess informal settlement caused long delays for those commuting through the area this morning, 8 November. While the road has been reopened and the situation is currently calm, motorists are urged to travel Albertina Sisulu Road with caution and to use an alternative route if possible.
The protest, which began the previous evening, stemmed from a dispute over housing in the area. The residents of the informal settlement claim to have petitioned the City of of Johannesburg for RDP housing but the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JOSHCO) recently launched a development in the area. Residents who were disgruntled at not receiving an answer to their petition expressed their dissatisfaction by throwing rocks into the road and burning tyres.
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Councillor for Ward 71, René Benjamin, offered some clarity on the situation, and said, “RDP housing falls under the auspices of the Gauteng Housing Department. The only time the City of Johannesburg would get involved is if requested by the province. We have contacted the housing department in order to locate and address the petition”.
The Public Order Policing Unit of the West Rand, Roodepoort Police and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department worked tirelessly to contain the situation and restore civility. Roodepoort Police’s spokesperson, Captain Juanita Yorke, advised as follows: “Police are monitoring the situation. JMPD and police are keeping the situation calm. We confirm that this came from a dispute over RDP housing and a meeting has been arranged with relevant stakeholders to address the situation”.
Yorke is pleading with the community to remain calm and follow the correct channels of communication when issues of this nature occur, and said,”There is always a more amicable solution”.
Albertina Sisulu Road is open to traffic but the public should remain cautious and avoid the area if possible, until order has been fully restored.
