Katlehong residents use digger to tear up main road during protest

Residents of Tsietsi Phase 5 and 6 informal settlements in Katlehong used a digger to tear up sections of the R550 during a protest over poor service delivery this week. Photos: Kimberly Mutandiro

Protesting Palmridge residents took turns using a digger to dig up sections of the R550 main road to Johannesburg near the Tsietsi Phase 5 and 6 informal settlements in Katlehong. The protest continued on Friday morning, with access roads blocked.

The group’s anger reached boiling point on Thursday after Mayor of Ekurhuleni Nkosindiphile Xhakaza failed to attend a community meeting to discuss the area’s service challenges.

They said they felt ignored as the mayor had visited neighbouring settlements last weekend.

In June last year, the Tsietsi Phase 5 and 6 residents marched to the municipal offices to give their list of demands. A team of officials then visited the settlement but nothing changed, residents told GroundUp.

They also complained about having to rely on illegal connections for 30 years and sharing chemical toilets with dozens of households. While there are some communal taps, residents say these aren’t enough to service the growing community.

According to community representative Phakhela Maitse, the settlement was established about 30 years ago. He said in 2016, the community petitioned then-mayor of Ekurhuleni, the South African Human Rights Commission and the Public Protector but to no avail.

Maitse said that they again took their grievances to the government in 2025.

“A sewer project that the City started is at a standstill. Every month the City rents chemical toilets from contractors. Why don’t they use that money to build us toilets?” said Maitse.

He said a portion of land was formalised in 2018 and 300 stands built next to the settlement with electricity poles. But almost eight years later, the poles have been stripped of its cables and bulbs.

Mapeni Pitso said she has lived in the area for 20 years. She wants the municipality to connect her to formal electricity and to build her a house.

“I do not want to spend another winter without electricity,” she said

The City of Ekurhuleni and the mayor’s office had not responded to our questions at the time of publication.

Community representative Phakela Maitse points out informal electricity connections in the settlement.

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