By Motshabi Hoaeane
On 12 May 2025, community members of Villa Liza and Somalia Park gathered in a peaceful picket to raise their discontent with what they call “an injustice of human dignity”. The two communities are united by the shared status of being beneficiaries of Ext 4 Villa Liza housing project – which has been full of controversy ever since it became an approved township.
The picket began in the morning at Ramaphosa taxi rank (in Villa Liza), and ended at the gates of the Ekurhuleni Municipality offices in Vosloorus. It was at the municipality office that the group peacefully convened to get the attention of governance officials to give attention to their grievances.
This comes against the backdrop of the Villa Liza housing protest case being postponed by the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court, and coincided with the Government of National Unity (GNU) reaching a consensus on its budget 3.0, the former being a major reason that energised the protest picket.
Noma Giwu, a community leader from Loliwe – an informal settlement in Villa Liza- and one of the conveners of picket said it was not the first time they marched, and, they are doing it peacefully this time – in the hope to be heard. “We are doing this because we are not willing to wait anymore, we have waited for too long.” She said “Today as we hand-over the memorandum, we hope that we can get answerability on what the way forward for the changes we have requested will be, because when changes are made we never see where they end”. Giwu said that their concerns prioritised the area of Ext 4 which was the critical part of the township that fuses informal settlements, Loliwe and Somalia Park.
Both the communities of Somalia Park Informal Settlement, (KwaWolf) and Villa Liza, have protested before however, this time it was different; the initiative was not driven by political affiliation, but shared challenges and concerns among people of the community.
Bangi Sekonje, community leader and deputy convener, said “this memorandum serves as reflection of dissatisfaction and frustration felt by the residents of Villa Liza & Somalia Park informal settlements as well as backroom dwellers due to ongoing delays in Ext 4.” She urged municipal leaders to take swift action to ensure that the difficulty caused by lack of service delivery was not extended.
Caption : Bangi Sekonje, Villa Community Leader (Left), addressing the gathering, next to Metro Police Official and MMC Andile Mmngwevu.
The demands on the memorandum – which she read from the memorandum included;
1) Reblocking of informal settlements ; Loliwe, Ramaphosa, Ulundi and Somalia Park
2) Allocation of people to RDP houses in Ext 4, even if the project is incomplete
3) Providing access to clean running water & toilets with proper sewerage systems
4) Provide electricity.
She said that while these were the communities’ demands, other pressing issues of roads where people can’t walk and cars drive, as well people temporarily living in dolomitic areas was a threat to their constitutional rights. She further urged, and encouraged the municipality to work with the people to find sustainable solutions to these issues – within 14 days.
Andile Mngwevu, Member of the Mayoral Committee in Ekurhuleni, and, MMC for Roads and Transport Planning, along with his team and safety officials intently listened to the picketers and address to the picketers said that given the timeline, he will ensure that a response is provided within 14 days – this following a deeper dive into the specificities of the memorandum. Starting with a “Viza Villa Liza Viva!” “Viva Somalia Park Viva” he received a cheerful connection from the group as he explained his CCC role in receiving the memorandum. “The commitment I want to make is that within 14 days you will have received a response. However, I cannot promise what the response will be, as it is also based on the responses of MMCs & head of departments following inquiry on what the status on these issues are, to understand why the delay has been there.
“It is the right for everyone to have access to basic water,etc – it’s important that when our leaders meet with the people, they become realistic with timelines they give the people, even if the truth is not popular.” He said.
Paul Cele, community leader and secretary of Somalia Park Leadership, complained that the uncertainty of pipes getting stolen, and the budget being unpredictable was problematic; projects starting and not coming to completion. He also urged leaders and community members to unite and hold hands, while they find ways to proceed forward.
Caption : Somalia Park Community Leader Paul Cele, Metro Official, City of Ekurhuleni Councillor Khehla Madlala.
