MIDDELBURG – The Rockdale community in Middelburg is demanding to be prioritized in the sale of serviced stands in their area.
On Tuesday, February 26, concerned residents marched to the Steve Tshwete municipal headquarters to submit a memorandum outlining their grievances.
The memorandum, which this publication reviewed, stated: “We write this letter as the concerned community of ward 6 regarding the selling of serviced stands at Rockdale, ward 6, is a highly cramped society with high number of our people renting backrooms due to the backlog of human settlement.”
The community expressed their disappointment, stating ” The announcement by the municipality regarding the stands, brought a lot of joy to the community, however as the community we saw stands being sold at Rockdale and our community was sidelined while municipal employees and rich people were given the preferences.”
The memorandum further claimed that some who purchased the stands are using them for commercial purposes, leaving the community without access. ” And as a result we continue to live like animals,” it continued.
The community demands the municipality prioritise residents of ward 6 for these stands, with fair and transparent criteria and reasonable conditions for qualification. They emphasised the need for a process that benefits the most vulnerable.
Martha Mayisela, a community leader, stated their desire for a similar allocation process used for municipal employees, free from “red tape tactics” that suppress the community.
“Additionally, as a reference, the Sormaphepha village used the same approach to accommodate nearby residents,” Mayisela said. “We demand the same privilege as the affected community.”
Furthermore, they request accountability from the municipality regarding an agreement reached on February 10, 2023, and its inclusion as a reference point for their demands.
