Residents step up demands over councillor

About 200 residents protested in front of the Kuyga Community Hall yesterday, demanding the resignation of DA Ward 40 councillor Jason Grobbelaar. If he refuses to resign, residents threatened to make the ward ungovernable. The protest follows a row between residents and Grobbelaar over a racially divisive notice, which called for “non-whites” to use a separate toilet at the community hall. Residents, mostly dressed in ANC regalia, had hoped to hand over a petition to mayor Athol Trollip. Instead, the petition was accepted by municipal petition manager Selwyn Willis who works for the office of the speaker. Kuyga resident and ANC branch executive member Ntombikayise Manto, 21, said if their demands were not met within seven days the ward would be a “no-go” area for the DA.

“We demand the immediate suspension of the Ward 40 councillor as a public representative,” Manto said. “We also demand that the office of the councillor be closed and an investigation into him as well as his staff be opened.” Manto also demanded that the police provide an update on the investigation into the notice after a case was opened at the Kabega Park police station. The mysterious notice was pasted on the front door of the hall. Grobbelaar and his staff denied putting it up. Nelson Mandela Bay chief whip Werner Senekal said the matter was still under investigation. “I can confirm that Grobbelaar was sent for a lie detector test, although we are still waiting for the report.” The petition presented yesterday would be studied, Senekal said.