WHAT was supposed to be a meeting with residents to announce the start of an electrification project turned into a battle for votes.
ANC Premier David Makhura and officials cried foul yesterday after the new kid on the local election block disrupted the meeting.
EFF members started singing songs in praise of Julius Malema, made comments, and caused disruptions during speeches at the meeting attended by Makhura and Ekurhuleni municipal executives at Winnie Mandela squatter camp in Tembisa.
The electrification project is to start today and will run until the end of June, by which time 800 people in shacks will have electricity.
A frustrated Makhura said: “I don’t understand this chaos because the launch will benefit people from both parties. I will not allow any party to disrupt a public meeting I am attending. Disrupt your own meetings and cause havoc there.”
The premier said the ruling party has been in power for a while, and had watched Winnie Mandela kasi improve. Ekurhuleni mayor Mondli Gungubele said the project would provide people with basic services while they wait for houses. “Almost 90% of the land occupied by residents cannot be used to build houses because it will collapse. Until we can relocate them and give them houses, we will provide them with services.”
But EFF community leader Sekepe Moremi said the project is a front to get votes. “It’s not the first time they’ve pulled such a stunt.
“They’re just fooling people by giving them electricity on land that does not even belong to them. No one has been allocated any space, yet they are told they will get houses,” he said.
