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- Residents of Railton in Swellendam fear that protests could erupt yet again as "nothing has changed" since the protests of August and September 2023.
- That unrest was brought on by high electricity tariffs and a change to the Swellendam Local Municipality's indigent policy.
- In the series, On The Road, News24 is traversing the country to gauge South Africans' feelings ahead of the elections.
While the remains of what was once the Swellendam Local Municipality's building on Voortrekker Street are a stark reminder of the violent protests that engulfed the picturesque Overberg town in September 2023, residents of the Railton neighbourhood fear that similar protests could still erupt anytime.
In August, the municipal office was torched and local businesses, especially those operated by foreign nationals, were looted when residents of Railton protested over steep electricity tariffs and the fact that qualifying households were being made to reapply for indigent relief annually – something they previously did not have to do.
Vusi Pedi is a Lesotho national who lives in an informal settlement in Swellendam. He moved to the area several years ago for work.
Pedi works as a taxi driver and says the high crime rate in the area is among his biggest worries.
He said life in Swellendam was much like that in other small, struggling towns: Refuse collection is inconsistent, crime levels are high, and the streets are drug-infested.
It was for these reasons that he believed the town was on the edge of collapse, and said unrest could break out at any moment.
"I was here when the protests happened. Things are better now, but I believe it can start anytime because people are angry that nothing has changed. We were told the minister would come, but that hasn't happened."
"The biggest challenge is that nothing has changed," he added.
Anthony Dyantyi, another Swellendam resident, agreed that protests could flare up at anytime.
He too said "nothing has changed" since the violent protests.
"Every weekend, it's like sh*t in that location," said Dyantyi, adding that violent crime was rampant in Railton and that there were "too many shebeens".
"You can trust no one," Dyatyi added.
On the other sides of the tracks, in the historic centre of town with its oak-lined streets and Cape Dutch architecture, residents are also organising.
Some started the Swellendam People's Association of Ratepayers Collective (Sparc) in August last year.
Rita van Vollenstee, who is in dispute with the municipality over her property valuation, got involved in the fledgling organisation. Its members are especially concerned about municipal tariff hikes.
"The rates were increased so high last year. Suddenly, a lady who's almost 80 ...her rates went up R700. I mean, for an elderly person on a pension, that's a lot of money to fork out," she said.
A tariff increase of 11.6% has been proposed for 2024, while neighbouring municipalities' increases are said to be in line with inflation.
"Things like that [cause one to] start questioning what's happening with the finances of the local municipality," Van Vollenstee said.
Sparc environmental director Jill Reinecke said the municipality's financial crisis was "a result of a lack of attention in the past two years terms of looking after infrastructure. A whole new housing system has gone up. I'd like to know where the feasibility studies are. I question that with the water resources we have."
The ratepayers' association is setting up a meeting with the municipality to discuss the matter.
Reinecke said:
Van Vollenstee hopes their meeting will bear fruit and encourage more people to join the association. They have 700 people on a WhatsApp group.
Reinecke, a former Kannaland councillor in the 1990s and early 2000s, said: "We would like good discourse with the [municipality] without political division, to give everybody a fair chance. We're all part of this municipality. We cannot just complain about services at this point."
"A lot decisions get made on a political basis. I get so angry and resentful about it because … half of this community is in the opposition as an opposition party, yet their voice is not heard. They must just completely shut up. It's just so wrong. And all that happens is that one day they're going to come into power and then they're going to kick the other side to the curb, and you have this whole upset again in the community."
The DA previously governed the municipality as a majority, but it has been governing in a coalition with the Freedom Front Plus since the 2021 municipal election.
"Whoever is in power needs a watchdog checking that they are crossing their Ts and dotting the Is," said Reinecke.
