Two months after a violent protest left one resident bloodied, the Grogro community have again taken to the streets, this time in a peaceful demonstration.
They are demanding basic services from the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality.
For years, Ward 33 residents have pleaded with the municipality for water and electricity, resorting to burning tyres and blocking roads with branches in desperate attempts to draw attention to their plight.
On Friday, the group marched to ward 33 councillor Margaret de Andrade’s office to hand over a memorandum of demands.
One of their grievances was the installation of chemical toilets without being consulted.
Residents say the toilets were delivered and installed without any consultation with the community. This, they said, undermined their dignity.
They also accused the municipality of a lack of transparency.
- A clean and reliable water supply;
- Electricity for all households;
- Proper sanitation infrastructure beyond temporary solutions;
- Refuse removal and waste management services; and
- Safe and accessible roads and infrastructure.
Grogro community committee chair Mnyanda Felex said they had issues with all basic services in their community.
“We’ve never had any service from 1994 until now from the municipality. We’ve been voting all these years, and our votes don’t mean anything because we’re not getting any service.
“We feel like outsiders, yet we’re born and bred here, and today we feel like we don’t belong here.
“All these years, mayors are coming and going. No one is talking about any services. People are fed up. They don’t want anyone telling us about elections.
“We’ve been trying to engage with the municipality. We had six meetings that were not fruitful. It was all a lie.
“Before, we protested illegally, and today, we decided to take the legal route so that officials can be involved, and we’re trying to protect our people so they’re not injured.
“We’re asking the province and national to hear what we have to say. We need their intervention.”
About 300 families live in Grogro.
However, during a November council meeting, officials confirmed they could not proceed to install a transformer on private land.
Municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said the municipality acknowledged residents’ concerns.
“A co-ordinated municipal response is under way, guided by public health obligations, legislative compliance, and structured stakeholder engagement.
“The installation of chemical toilets was undertaken as an interim emergency sanitation measure to mitigate immediate public health risks in an area without formal infrastructure.
“Community engagements are scheduled weekly to ensure continuous dialogue and accountability.
“However, these engagements are subject to broader council programme priorities, operational demands, and resource availability.
“Where it is not feasible to proceed as scheduled, engagements may be postponed and rescheduled.
“Notwithstanding this, the municipality remains committed to consistent, structured, and ongoing weekly engagement with the Grogro community committee.
“On the provision of basic services, the municipality reiterates that service delivery in the affected area is subject to material constraints, including private land ownership, regulatory compliance requirements, infrastructure planning processes, and budgetary limitations.
“The municipality confirms that the land in question is privately owned and that a lawful acquisition process is being pursued.
“The municipality has completed its internal valuation and is awaiting the outcome of the landowner’s appointed valuer.
“In parallel, an independent valuer has been appointed to ensure objectivity and procedural fairness.”
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