Marlboro Drive 'blocked off'

[RompelStompel]

Time article posted was 0718 - is this still the situation ?

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2101771,00.html

Johannesburg - Johannesburg motorists were advised to avoid Marlboro Drive on Friday morning, because protesters had barricaded it, making it inaccessible.

Johannesburg metro police Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said demonstrators had placed rocks, stones and burning tyres on the road in the vicinity of Marlboro Gardens, bordering Alexandra.

He said there were about 150 protesters on the scene, but he did not know what they were demonstrating against.

[McSack]

Was still the situation 20 mins ago when I drove by. Spotted a couple of burning cars (looked like a taxi and 2 other vehicles)

EDIT: got as close as I could and used binocs - all access to the area is blocked

[Syndyre]

WTF is these people's problem?

[AntiThesis]

Yes apparently so.

A friend had planned to get some kids and give them a nice easter suprise but couldn't cos of those idiots.

What a civilized country we live in.

[icyrus]

Why didn't the cops come with a few wagons and throw the lot of them in the back and haul them off to jail?

[Syndyre]

Why didn't the cops come with a few wagons and throw the lot of them in the back and haul them off to jail?

That's exactly what they should do!

[stoke]

How else are they supposed to protest?
The freaking governmint does not listern, so they have to attract attention.
This is the governmint's fault.

[Leitmotif]

Attracting attention, sure... but it doesn't help if no-one knows what the protest is about. :(

[icyrus]

How else are they supposed to protest?
The freaking governmint does not listern, so they have to attract attention.
This is the governmint's fault.

Because the government is going to listen to them now that they have burnt some tyres and cars and created a public disturbance? All they have done is inconvenience people who are trying to get to work and create an unacceptable public disturbance. Lock em up.

[supersunbird]

lets lock up everyone thats moaning about this because they are on the MyADSL site and protesting bad telecoms :rolleyes:

[NaZKuL]

lets lock up everyone thats moaning about this because they are on the MyADSL site and protesting bad telecoms :rolleyes:

haha... Lets burn up our old PC's and crashed monitors outside telkom!!! :D

edit: maybe even inside telkom?:rolleyes:

[stoke]

Where in the heck were these people supposed to get the money for posters and plackards?
Hu hu hu hu hu?

What should happen is that the freaking lazy ass bastard who is in charge of that "section" of EkHoerHoeLeNie should have been there this morning as soon as the protest became public knowledge to hear their greviences and to start the negotiations.

But, noooo .. you sit there and blame the people who are so desperate that they are forced into action, you don't even begin to think of blaming the CORRECT people - the same people you pay your taxes to.

Stop blaming the citizins. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

[Roo!]

Surely, if the government you voted in doesn't work for you then you vote for a different government next time???

[stoke]

@Roo .. sure .. but .. this is a democracy.
That means that the citizens have direct access to the governmint.
The governmint must provide public access points and respond to the citizens questions and queries and suggestions and needs.

Democracy is not all about the freaking one-vote, it's an entire community driven system upheld by a constitution.

[Roo!]

Democracy is not all about the freaking one-vote, it's an entire community driven system upheld by a constitution.

Sure, I couldn't agree more but if you repeatedly ask for results and all you get is lip service (a bit like smacking your head against a wall) then surely the thought has to cross your mind that you need to look elsewhere for your upholders of the constitution?

[icyrus]

There are other ways to get your voice heard and I don't believe public disorder involving burning tyres, cars and shutting down a major road are productive measures.

This is a democracy, but we have laws and people need to follow them lest we descend into anarchy every time some group doesn't get what they want.

BTW, does anyone even know what this was about yet?

[ToxicBunny]

I am also very intrigued to know why these ppl are protesting...

[stoke]

Well .. if we really have these laws, then why is nothing being done about this?
Something is wrong, and it smells like governmint.

[Alan]

I am also very intrigued to know why these ppl are protesting...

For fun ;)

[DWPTA]

Johannesburg - A group of about 150 people barricaded Marlboro Drive near Alexandra on Friday in protest against their eviction from an industrial site, Gauteng police said.

"They said they had nowhere to go since they had been evicted from an industrial site building," Superintendent Lungelo Dlamini said.

Johannesburg metro police spokesperson Wayne Minnaar said the protesters placed rocks, stones and burning tyres on the road on Friday morning.

"Our officers have removed the protesters from the scene. At the moment we are busy clearing the road of burnt tyres and rocks," said Minnaar.

Anti-Privatisation Forum spokesperson Silumko Radebe said government had promised residents that they would not be evicted, and that they would have access to housing and basic services.

"People are demanding what is rightfully theirs. Government has promised them houses and basic services but they are getting a raw deal," said Radebe.


Why we are burning tyres! (http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2102041,00.html)

[Roo!]

"Government has promised them houses and basic services but they are getting a raw deal"

More lip service to the public from the puppeteers in charge :rolleyes:

[stoke]

Eggzaktlee.
More publicity please. Let them see what the governmint is actually doing.

[icyrus]

"People are demanding what is rightfully theirs. Government has promised them houses and basic services but they are getting a raw deal," said Radebe.

I didn't realise that free housing and services were a right. I will be sure to let eskom and the local municipality know next time they send a bill.

[Bageloo]

I didn't realise that free housing and services were a right. I will be sure to let eskom and the local municipality know next time they send a bill. We pay tax so that the gvt can provide these services to the poor for FREE.

[icyrus]

We pay tax so that the gvt can provide these services to the poor for FREE.

Correct me if I am wrong, but that qualifies as a privilege not a right.

[chiskop]

No it is a right. What makes it a priviledge?

[stoke]

The point is that they believe that they have been promised free housing and services.
The sooner that bullcarp is erased from their minds, the sooner they'll examine their governmint more closely.

And .. now watch as Zuma promses free housing and they all fall for it again.
LAWL.

[icyrus]

No it is a right. What makes it a priviledge?

What would you say is the overall purpose of welfare?

[Bageloo]

Correct me if I am wrong, but that qualifies as a privilege not a right.
The gvt has the right to take our tax.
The poor have the right to basic services. There are no priviledges involved anywhere here.

[chiskop]

It doesn't matter what I think of welfare.

Access to free basic services is a constitutionally-guaranteed right; local governments have a duty to basic a basic amount of water, free.

[Roo!]

Well, if the constitution is the the governing contract of this country, then why isn't the government fired for non-compliance to contract?!?!?!

[icyrus]

It doesn't matter what I think of welfare.

Access to free basic services is a constitutionally-guaranteed right; local governments have a duty to basic a basic amount of water, free.


Ok, you were right and I was wrong.

[efitol]

Ok, you were right and I was wrong.

:eek:

[stoke]

Pfffffffffft. What a lame way to end a discussion.
I hereby declare both of you wrong! :p :p :p

[chiskop]

Whether it makes burning tyres in the road right, though, is another question.

Off you go.

[stoke]

Burning tyres is required to stop half-blind peeps from riding over the rocks and damaging their cars.

[Ekhaatvensters]

And the burning cars?

[supersunbird]

Its their own cars, to cast more light on the situation, since they dont have electricity...

[chiskop]

And the burning cars?

Obvoiously the early arrivals who didn't notice the burning tyres thoughtfully placed in front of the rocks?

[Roo!]

lol :D

So I guess the 5 stages of a demonstration are:


Angry ppl
Rocks in the road placed by said ppl
Burning tyres to illuminate said rocks
Burning vehicles to illuminate said tyres
Police sirens and lights to illuminate said vehicles


:D

[Alan]

All we need is to have a "banana republic express" go through that area and the protesters will spread apart like the parting of the red sea :D

[stoke]

Evolution in it's purest form.

[MLK]

The gvt has the right to take our tax.
The poor have the right to basic services. There are no priviledges involved anywhere here.


Exxxcusse me! Correct me if I'm wrong - is housing a basic service?

[Angelo]

Sure, I couldn't agree more but if you repeatedly ask for results and all you get is lip service (a bit like smacking your head against a wall) then surely the thought has to cross your mind that you need to look elsewhere for your upholders of the constitution?
But surely people can't wait for election time to do something about their gripes?

[RichardP]

But surely people can't wait for election time to do something about their gripes?

Its mostly the same people who put the government there in the first place! :D

[stoke]

And so we sit waiting for the fantastic investigative reporting to reveal what was done about the complaints.
What happened to socially responsible journalism?

[chiskop]

What happened stoke? You break up with a journalist? You featuring on Carte Blanche this week?

Why all the anger towards journalists?