Unruly group disrupts Mayor Mashaba’s meeting – again

04 October 2016

 

Johannesburg Executive Mayor Cllr Herman Mashaba’s attempt to address Orange Farm residents was abandoned for the second time in a week when a group calling itself the Orange Farm Concerned Group disrupted a scheduled residents’ meeting at the Chris Hani Community Hall on Monday October 3.

 

Exactly a week before – on Monday September 26 – an unruly mob purporting to be members of the opposing African National Congress (ANC) stopped Mayor Mashaba from speaking to residents when they flooded the Orange Farm Multipurpose Community Centre and sprayed the hall with rubbish.

Mayor Mashaba vowed to return to the area to discuss a wide range of issues such as land, housing and service delivery with the residents. But when he arrived at the venue he found a group inside the hall chanting slogans and singing political songs. A number of residents were already in the hall when he arrived, waiting to be addressed by him.

The unruly group's apparent main gripe was that Mayor Mashaba had allegedly not consulted ward councillors regarding the meeting. A purported representative of the group said once the Mayor saw the need to consult local leaders he would be more than welcome to address the residents.

Region G Director Mickey Padiachee tried unsuccessfully to intervene and calm down the agitated crowd. While this was unfolding, a stand-off was brewing between Democratic Alliance (DA) activists and people wearing ANC T-shirts.

Police, who had a heavy presence at the venue, averted what could have developed into a potentially ugly and violent confrontation.

Mayor Mashaba and his team left the premises – amid continued singing and chanting by the crowd of protesters – after it became abundantly clear it was going to be impossible for the meeting to be held.