City of Ekurhuleni mayor Tania Campbell has called for calm in Tembisa township following violent service delivery protests that saw two people  killed.

“I call for calm to immediately be restored in Tembisa. Citizens have the constitutional right to protest, however,  acts of arson and vandalism to public infrastructure will not be tolerated,’’ said Campbell in a statement on Monday.

Residents on Monday morning blocked roads with stones and rocks, protesting  high municipal rates and power cuts. They also torched government infrastructure. 

Campbell said she had delegated five members of the mayoral committee last week to engage residents on the memorandum they submitted to the city.

“However, that meeting unfortunately collapsed and failed to reach any resolutions. I will be contacting the premier of Gauteng through our inter-governmental relations channels to develop a coordinated approach to the impasse by government,” said Campbell.

“As a multi-party coalition government we are concerned that the visuals we are witnessing in Tembisa are no longer community-based but rather a well-orchestrated operation to render the township ungovernable. We believe that the current destruction of public infrastructure is politically motivated and intended to undermine the progress of the new administration.’’ 

She said her government would continue engaging with the residents.

“As a multi-party coalition government our door has always been open to engage and we have been engaging with the Tembisa Business Forum as per their memorandum concerns. To the residents of Tembisa, please remain safe and trust that our law enforcement authorities will restore law and order in the area,’’ she said.

Earlier, two people were shot and killed during the protests.

kokam@sowetan.co.za