Staff Reporter
Mangaung Community Concern, which organised Monday’s shutdown across Bloemfontein to press for better service delivery and improved opportunities in the city, says it has been invited to a meeting by Premier Sisi Ntombela.
The organisation’s representative, Temba Zweni, told The Free Stater on Monday night that Ntombela had reached out to them and will be meeting with her on Tuesday afternoon at her office.
“The premier has reached out to us. We are meeting with the premier,” said Zweni, a member of the organisation’s communications team.
He however expressed concern that it had to take a total shutdown of the city for the premier to meet with them yet they have requested her audience and that of other authorities in the city to no avail.
“At this point, we would have wanted to meet with the President (Cyril Ramaphosa) because the issues we have are long standing and remain unresolved,” said Zweni.
“So, we are meeting with the premier (today) at OR Tambo Building at 12 o’clock.”
Asked if the protest which grounded all public transport and resulted in the death of a 15-year-old boy, the torching of property and several arrests was over, Zweni was reluctant to call it off saying they have nothing to report to the residents yet.
“The protest is still going on,” he said.
“Look, we do not have anything to report to the people. It’s very difficult to say yes, we go back . . . go back with what?
“The municipality has not reached out to us. The premier only reached out to us in the afternoon (Monday).”