The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Gauteng is concerned about the lack of an effective resolution to the ongoing service delivery protests at Diepkloof Hostel in Soweto. We note the ongoing violence in Diepkloof as a reflection of the prevailing uninhabitable conditions facing hostel communities throughout Gauteng.
In as much as we appreciate the Gauteng Premier’s interventions to improve service delivery in the six (6) provincially owned hostels, we find it concerning that the majority of hostels in the province remain poorly attended to.
Over the years, the IFP Gauteng has been consistent in highlighting the plight of hostel communities in the province, cautioning that the government’s negligence and lack of services in hostels would potentially manifest in waves of violence, such as what we are seeing now in Diepkloof, and other areas.
The IFP appeals for calm and an end to the violence. We call for a decisive resolution to effectively address the challenges faced by hostel residents, who are treated as second-class citizens. However, we also condemn the lawlessness witnessed in the protests, as there can never be any justification for violence.
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Contact
Bonginkosi Dhlamini MPL
IFP Gauteng Provincial Chairperson
082 565 3571
