“Go to Athol Trollip’s office, drink water and use his nice toilet,” UDM councillor Mongameli Bobani encouraged residents of a new informal settlement in Motherwell.
The residents, who began squatting on the open piece of land near Mokaba Street – now called Shukushukuma – in December, complained that they did not have basic sanitation and water.
The 3,000 residents, who were previously living in backyard dwellings in areas across the Bay, invaded land which had no services installed.
On Tuesday, Bobani encouraged the residents to make their frustrations known by visiting Trollip’s office and using his bathroom.
“I am saying people must go sit-in [at] his office, drink water there as they don’t have water, and use the nice toilet there so that they can flush for the first time,” Bobani said.
He said he would report residents’ living conditions to the Human Rights Commission.
Bobani told residents that Trollip had refused to use the R178m windfall from the National Treasury a few months ago to build new houses and install services.
The money was spent largely on initiatives to stop water leaks, borehole initiatives and towards the Nooitgedacht expansion project.
Bobani said: “When the money arrived Trollip took the money and used it for the Nooidgedacht dam.
“That money was supposed to help you, it does not belong to this government.”
Bobani vowed to pursue yet another attempt to oust Trollip through a no-confidence motion this month.
“I can confirm the UDM and other black organisations are working hard to remove Trollip and the DA. As you can see, these people are dealing with an uncaring [local] government. By [the end of] July, we will be busy with a petition.”
An elderly resident of the settlement, Milia Ndikela, 99, said she narrowly escaped a snake bite as she was relieving herself in the nearby veld.
“I thought I was going to die,” she said.
Community leader Thembakazi Mjuza, who had invited Bobani, said they began setting up their shacks in December and did not plan to move.
Human settlements political head Nqaba Bhanga said he would respond to questions on Wednesday.