JOHANNESBURG – Slovo Park residents said they would only stop protesting when Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi comes to the community.
The residents’ call comes as they have blocked the N12 highway in Eldorado Park for almost a week now.
They want better living conditions including the improvement of sanitation services.
READ: Slovo protesters say they will be calm if Lesufi visits area
Police confirmed that a teenage boy died during the protests this week, but the circumstances of his death are being investigated.
Community leader Lerato Marole said they only have one pressing request.
“They’d rather send a junior to try and address the community from that particular office, of which the community wants to talk to the premier in regard to the challenges that they are faced with, inclusive of the passing of this young person that was innocent out of this particular process.”
In 2016 the Johannesburg High Court ordered both the city and provincial government to improve living conditions in the informal settlement.
But Morale said authorities were failing to honour the court ruling.
“The city and the human settlements in the province sitting and trying to unpack a directive as to what needs to happen. And now that we believe that we are done with the plenary part, we are told that we are not part of the budgetary pursuit of the city or the province for this financial year.”