A group of Kokosi residents took unprecedented steps, this week, to try and secure the jobs that politicians allegedly promised them.
Early Friday morning, members of the Majimbos, meaning ‘guys’ Forum, started blocking the entrance and exit gates of the Fochville Traffic Department.
This prevented municipal vehicles from leaving the premises and municipal workers, including traffic officers, from coming in.
According to the Majimbos’ spokesperson, Mr George Phiri, he and the other protesters are only some of the members of the forum that was launched last year.
The forum was established after politicians, especially the mayoral committee,
promised them jobs that never materialised.
To make matters worse, they claim that many jobs in the municipality are being offered to people from outside Merafong. The protesters are also unhappy because they feel that there is more development in Khutsong than in Kokosi.
‘We recently stopped the rubbish trucks from working in Kokosi and, after that, we were again promised jobs but nothing has come of it,’ Phiri complained.
The group started protesting at the offices again on Monday after more talks with the municipality failed.
‘We don’t blame the ruling party, we are just blaming its people here in Merafong,’ Phiri told the Herald.
As far as could be determined, the police arrested the protesters on Tuesday morning on charges of public violence.
They were, however, released later during the same day.
‘We don’t know why the police arrested us and not the others because we did not damage anything,’ Phiri said on Tuesday evening.
