Pretoria - The EFF has called on Ekurhuleni mayor Tania Campbell to meet with the residents of Tembisa as soon as possible saying she has been “disrespectful” and “insensitive” while exhibiting “white arrogance”.
This after four people died in the Ekurhuleni township on Monday following widespread protests over service delivery and expensive electricity.
Frustrated residents blockaded roads with burning tyres, rocks and metal objects from 4am and prevented people from going to work.
Campbell had promised to meet the community on Friday at the Rabasotho community hall but did not pitch. Instead she sent some of her officials to meet the community which triggered the Monday protest that saw people dead, scores injured and millions of rand in damages to public infrastructure.
The DA is in coalition with the EFF to govern the City of Ekurhuleni.
However the EFF have come out guns blazing against Campbell.
In a statement the red berets called for law enforcement to practice restraint in their interaction with protesters.
Spokesperson Sinawo Tambo said: “The people of Tembisa, have rightfully called on the mayor of Ekurhuleni Tania Campbell to meet with them and address the challenges confronting them, towards an amicable solution.
“It is completely disrespectful and insensitive that the mayor of Ekurhuleni has resolved not to meet with members of the community, which is an exhibition of white arrogance.”
Tambo said the party was saddened by the news of the death of two individuals as a result of gun-fire from law enforcement.
“The trigger-happy police have shown incompetence and a failure to control a volatile situation, by resorting to killing people instead of managing the situation. The country has woken up to massive service delivery protests in Tembisa, which come as a result of the constant rise in the cost of living, electricity and general poverty that characterises South African society.
“To respond to this dissatisfaction by our people with guns, is the hallmark of a regime that uses brute force to suppress activism and protest.
“The EFF therefore calls on the mayor to meet with the people of Tembisa to ensure that the violence that is being inflicted on our people comes to an end.”
Residents have vowed to continue with the protest for the rest of the week.
Campbell has since promised to meet with the residents on Friday.
Pretoria News