Latest news with #GermistonHomeAffairs
The Citizen
11 hours ago
- The Citizen
WATCH: Women face court for public violence and property damage of local Home Affairs
WATCH: Women face court for public violence and property damage of local Home Affairs Two women, Malwande Tukula and Mandisa Mboxwana, appeared in Germiston Magistrate's Court on charges of public violence and damaging infrastructure following protests on August 12. The demonstrations resulted in a fire that severely damaged the Department of Home Affairs building and were linked to court-ordered evictions in the area. ALSO READ: Watch: Chaos in Germiston as Home Affairs building set alight The Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD)'s acting Chief of Police, JD Mkhwanazi, said roads leading to the complex had been blocked on the day to hinder officials from executing the eviction orders. Magistrate Mrs Baloyi noted the seriousness of the charges and confirmed that the accused would have to submit applications for bail. @ Malwande Tukula and Mandisa Mboxwana appear in Germiston Magistrate's Court on August 14, after August 12 protests. They are facing charges of public violence and damage to infrastructure. #GermistonHomeAffairs #GermistonEvictions ♬ original sound – Bedfordview Edenvale News The state opposed bail, and the case has been postponed to 19 August for bail application. ALSO READ: WATCH: Deputy minister pledges justice after Germiston Home Affairs fire The accused remain in custody in Germiston. If found guilty, they could face up to 15 years in prison.
The Citizen
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
City monitors shutdown threat amid tariff backlash
Authorities are tracking the origins of a viral shutdown message, but local councillors say residents are tired of large-scale protests. A WhatsApp message urging an illegal shutdown of Ekurhuleni on Monday and Tuesday has caught the attention of authorities. However, whether South Africans would muster the courage to act on civil disobedience incitement remains a question mark. Viral message calls for mass action The message, the origin of which is untraceable, has circulated across thousands of residents' chat groups and reads as an emotional plea to Joe Public to take action. 'From 18-20 August, we are calling for a complete shutdown. All entrances must be closed. No work. No school. No business as usual. We have tried talking. We've sent people to negotiate. But they lie at the Gauteng legislature, saying our issues are resolved. That's a lie. Nothing has been resolved,' read the message. City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said they were aware of the message and authorities have been notified. 'This kind of incitement for what ultimately leads to civil disobedience is not conducive to constructive discourse,' he said. 'Intelligence agencies are investigating the source of the message and balance of probabilities that it will take place.' ALSO READ: Protestors allegedly set Germiston Home Affairs building on fire [VIDEO] Doubts over protest turnout Local councillor Simon Lapping does not think the protest will materialise. 'Everyone has the right to protest. But in the past few years, the last major protest I saw was when Jacob Zuma was jailed, which erupted in [KwaZulu-Natal],' he said. 'Since then, the only coordinated action of note in Johannesburg was about a year ago when the EFF marched to the [Johannesburg Stock Exchange], and that ended as a damp squib. People are tired of protest.' The last time Ekurhuleni saw a major protest was in May, when traffic officers illegally blockaded major highways in and out of the city. Anger over municipal tariffs The latest message went on to attack municipal rates. 'We don't want suspended tariffs we want them cancelled. We want every unjust municipal debt scrapped. They treat Ekurhuleni like a cash cow, bleeding us dry with high rates, taxes and unfair electricity charges.' This is likely in response to stepped up collection efforts by the city's finance department over the past six months, a programme that has yielded substantial success. The message also suggested that 'other communities buy electricity from Eskom at better prices and still get proper service delivery but not us. We buy directly from the municipality and still get nothing in return. No development. No fairness. No dignity. 'It's time we fight for what is rightfully ours. To the tenants know this: the homeowners you rent from are suffering under this system. They carry the full burden of these inflated bills. If they don't pay, their electricity gets cut off. And you suffer, too.' 'Fragmented' activism Lapping said the call to action will end up the same way as the EFF's failed JSE march. 'Nationalism here has become fragmented and divisive. If you look at the usual protest suspects, they cannot seem to organise themselves into any real mass action because they simply do not have the numbers,' he said. 'What we are seeing instead are sporadic outbursts of frustration and anger, like in Tembisa when people protested over the electricity flat fee hike, or in Germiston where housing issues sparked unrest.' Potential middle-class backlash A local security expert said it will only be a matter of time before the middle class will rise up from their couches and object, either via protest or boycotts. He said more affluent people usually need to take a lot of sucker punches before they would strike back. NOW READ: Nearly 400 suspended EMPD officers facing the axe over illegal strike action
The Citizen
a day ago
- The Citizen
Watch: 2 women appear in court over Germiston unrest
Watch: 2 women appear in court over Germiston unrest Two women, Malwande Tukula and Mandisa Mboxwana, appeared in Germiston Magistrate's Court today on charges of public violence and damaging infrastructure following protests on Tuesday. Germiston City News reports that the demonstrations resulted in a fire that severely damaged the Department of Home Affairs building and were linked to court-ordered evictions in the area. The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department's acting chief of police, JD Mkhwanazi, says roads leading to the complex had been blocked on the day to hinder officials from executing the eviction orders. The magistrate noted the seriousness of the charges and confirmed that the accused would have to submit applications for bail. The state opposed bail, and the case has been postponed to August 19 for their bail applications. The accused remain in custody in Germiston. If found guilty, they could face up to 15 years in prison. @ Malwande Tukula and Mandisa Mboxwana appear in Germiston Magistrate's Court on August 14, after August 12 protests. They are facing charges of public violence and damage to infrastructure. #GermistonHomeAffairs #GermistonEvictions ♬ original sound – Bedfordview Edenvale News Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on
The Citizen
a day ago
- The Citizen
WATCH: Two women appear in court over August 12 unrest in Germiston
WATCH: Two women appear in court over August 12 unrest in Germiston Two women, Malwande Tukula and Mandisa Mboxwana, appeared in Germiston Magistrate's Court on charges of public violence and damaging infrastructure following protests on August 12. The demonstrations resulted in a fire that severely damaged the Department of Home Affairs building and were linked to court-ordered evictions in the area. ALSO READ: Watch: Chaos in Germiston as Home Affairs building set alight The Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD)'s acting Chief of Police, JD Mkhwanazi, said roads leading to the complex had been blocked on the day to hinder officials from executing the eviction orders. Magistrate Mrs Baloyi noted the seriousness of the charges and confirmed that the accused would have to submit applications for bail. @ Malwande Tukula and Mandisa Mboxwana appear in Germiston Magistrate's Court on August 14, after August 12 protests. They are facing charges of public violence and damage to infrastructure. #GermistonHomeAffairs #GermistonEvictions ♬ original sound – Bedfordview Edenvale News The state opposed bail, and the case has been postponed to 19 August for bail application. ALSO READ: WATCH: Deputy minister pledges justice after Germiston Home Affairs fire The accused remain in custody in Germiston. If found guilty, they could face up to 15 years in prison.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza visits Germiston Home Affairs office after fire
Home Affairs Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza has visited the Germiston Home Affairs office following a fire that engulfed the building on August 12. Preliminary reports suggest the fire started when protesters threw a petrol bomb onto the office's first floor, causing major disruption to services. William Ntladi, spokesperson for the City of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Service, confirmed that the two-storey building was severely damaged, but no injuries were reported. ALSO READ: Watch: Chaos in Germiston as Home Affairs building set alight Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, said on social media that a case had been opened and that the department was working closely with SAPS to provide evidence for swift arrests and convictions. To ensure services continue, mobile Home Affairs offices have been deployed: • Smart ID card and passport applications are being processed at the Germiston Civic Service Centre car park. • Reprints of certificates can be done at any Home Affairs office in Gauteng. • Late registration of births is being handled at the Alberton and Boksburg offices. For other services, including marriages, clients are advised to visit alternative Home Affairs offices. Nzuza will also inspect the mobile offices to assess service delivery levels. ALSO READ: WATCH: Ekurhuleni mayor vows to press ahead with evictions after Germiston Home Affairs arson The government strongly condemned the attack. Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) acting director-general Terry Vandayar said vandalism undermined the hard-won rights and freedoms of South Africans and unfairly burdened taxpayers. 'While the Constitution guarantees the right to protest, it must be exercised peacefully and lawfully, respecting the rights of others and safeguarding public property. 'Violence and destruction are not acceptable means of expressing grievances and will not be tolerated,' Vandayar said.
