Chris Hani District offices shut as residents march over services

Chris Hani District Municipality officials and politicians locked municipal gates and offices on Thursday, avoiding protesters who arrived to submit a petition on service delivery failures.

After waiting more than three hours, police intervened and called on councillors to receive the document.

The petition, submitted by Concerned Chris Hani District Residents, gives the municipality until 03 May 2026 to respond, warning of mass action and legal steps if demands are not met.

Reading the petition, Siphamandla Maliti listed persistent water shortages in Mlungisi, Ezibeleni, Tarkastad, Molteno, Mzomhle (Tsomo), Tsomo, Inxuba, and Whittlesea.

“Many Molteno households still lack reliable water despite the local project being handed over years ago. We demand a detailed report on the Xonxa Dam water pump system and Emalahleni infrastructure,” Maliti said.

He also cited severe sewage contamination in the Komani River, Tarkastad, and Tsomo.

“In Mlungisi township, ongoing sewage spillages overflow into residential streets and the cemetery area,” he said.

Maliti pointed to vandalism and deterioration of critical infrastructure in Tarkastad, Molteno, Inxuba, and Xonxa/Emalahleni.

“Officials are failing to engage meaningfully with communities, with meetings repeatedly postponed without clear timeframes or binding resolutions.”

The petition further notes that audited financial statements requested since December 2025 have not been provided, with no clarity on outsourced service expenditure.

It raises continued non-payment of outsourced workers, including security personnel, lack of probenefits registration, termination of long-serving contract workers, failure to advertise vacancies, and allegations of nepotism and irregular appointments raised in the petition.

Resident Thulani Bukani questioned the use of private security.

“There is no reason why the municipality is not hiring the securities. The companies fund the lifestyle of the politicians. The fight of unpaid securities is the same as the fight for water, electricity and sanitation,” Bukani said.

He added that the gates were locked to protect the politicians.

Mlungisi Squatter Camps leader Nkosinathi Botya said residents were tired of unanswered petitions.

“We are here to support the march and call for a collaboration between the squatter camps in the district to support the concerned residents in calling for accountability,” he said.

Responding to the petition, Bongeka Nobuntu requested seven working days to reply.

“The petition must follow all the proper channels. We will sit for the petition next week. The petition is citing a lot of things, there are a lot of things and might need a lot of time,” Nobuntu said.

Some officials reportedly told protesters they “have nothing to do with the concerned residents” and that it was an employee matter.