Duduza residents protest over lack of jobs

Residents of Duduza in Ekuruleni took to the streets on Monday to show their dissatisfaction with the high level of unemployment.

The residents are at war with Gibela‚ a railway transport manufacturer situated in Nigel‚ three kilometres away from Duduza.

“Gibela is not hiring us just like many other companies situated around here. Instead they hire people from Tembisa‚ Daveyton and Soweto. All these people have to catch taxis to get here but we can just walk‚” said community member Lerato Tsotetsi.

Tosotetsi said that on Monday a Duduza councillor had told the aggrieved community that they were not employable due to their lack of skills.

“They just said we don't qualify without good reason‚ even though they had promised us jobs in the past‚” added Tsotesti.

The protesters braved the rain‚ singing and chanting that they would not be threatened or stopped. A few minutes later the angry protesters started pulling down the traffic lights.

Police officials arrested an unidentified man and woman shortly after the traffic lights were vandalised.

The protest affected traffic in the main streets of Nala and the inner areas of Duduza.

- TMG Digital/Sowetan