Hundreds of Soweto residents march to Morero’s office demanding RDP houses

JOHANNESBURG - Hundreds of Soweto residents filled the streets of Joburg’s CBD on Thursday afternoon, as they marched to Mayor Dada Morero’s office.

The Umphakathi Wesizwe group are demanding that they be given RDP houses.

The march has caused major traffic disruptions in the city centre on Lillian Ngoyi, Ntemi Piliso and Stirmans streets.

Hundreds of residents from Soweto gathered in the city centre sang as they marched along the streets of Braamfontein headed to Morero’s office.

They are demanding that the mayor prioritise RDP placements for applicants who applied for homes when the programme was first introduced around 1996.

One of the leaders of the group, Ernest Langa, said government seemed to be more focused on rentals, which they could not afford.

"We have been applying for RDP since 1996 and, unfortunately, some people have died along the process because the government has taken time to respond to the people or to give service to the people."

He said they were expecting the mayor to come out to address them on Thursday.