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Cookhouse residents blocked R63 with burning tires and large rocks on Friday. They believe that people in their community are being marginalized by the Somerset East Multipurpose Industrial Park construction project. (Mkhuseli Sizani, GroundUp)
- Cookhouse residents blocked R63 on Friday, demanding to be employed in the Somerset East Multipurpose Industrial Park construction project.
- The protesters insisted that they replace the Somerset East workers.
- They allege that only one of the 10 Cookhouse candidates interviewed was employed, a charge the ward councilman rejects.
About 400 Cookhouse residents in the Eastern Cape blocked R63 with burning tires and large stones on Friday, demanding to be employed on the R28 million Somerset East Multi-Purpose Industrial Park construction project.
During the protest, the group turned away several taxis transporting workers to Cookhouse’s wind farms, GroundUp reports.
Thereafter, the protesters moved to Madiba Hall, where they agreed to go to the Cookhouse Creamery and Fresh Stop gas station.
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There, they ordered the owners to lay off all of their Somerset East workers and replace them with Cookhouse residents.
The workers included gasoline attendants, cashiers, security guards and cheesemakers.
Protesters say they were angered Thursday afternoon when the position of Community Liaison Officer for the project was re-announced.
It is alleged that of the 10 candidates interviewed on September 29, only one from Cookhouse was employed.
The neighborhood councilor has dismissed this accusation.
Cookhouse Community Leader Bhongolwethu Mema said: “The project is for the entire Blue Crane Local Route Township, but Somerset East residents are excluding us. Our councilors and the mayor are crossing their arms and not doing nothing in regards”.
District 3 Councilman Thobile Xakaxa in Somerset East said: “This issue started after rumors spread that interview scores were leaked and the highest score was from Cookhouse. The Somerset East community protested and demanded all jobs.
“But the Cacadu Development Agency, which is the implementing agent, said on Monday that the appointment processes were not properly followed. Then it ordered … the position to be re-advertised,” he said.
“Somerset East residents refuse to allow Cookhouse residents to be part of this project. They also claim not to benefit from the projects. They also protested at [Friday morning] at the municipal offices in Somerset East, “he said.
Xakaxa said that a meeting with both communities will be held on Monday to resolve the problem amicably.
“There is no way we can allow communities to fight,” he said.
