Town Two Clinic has temporarily been closed after incensed Marikana informal settlement residents allegedly set it alight on Monday 22 September.
The circumstances that led to the incident remain unknown, but a local community leader believes service delivery unhappiness triggered the residents’ actions. The protesters reportedly set the storage facility alight and burnt tyres outside the facility’s main entrance.
The extent of damage is also unclear. When City Vision visited the area in the aftermath of the fire, residents refused to speak and referred us to their leaders. Gates to the facility were locked.
The City of Cape Town could not confirm the amount of damage and how long it would take to get the facility working again.
Ward 93 councillor Thando Pimpi told City Vision he does not know what the residents are protesting for. He said he received a phone call at about 23:00 regarding the clinic being on fire.
“I don’t know exactly what the protest is for. But I suspect it was about electricity because they were complaining about it. Some had illegal connections and Eskom employees cut their supply. Last week, I had a meeting with them to explain that we are engaging with Eskom to install electricity in that area. Now, I’m shocked to hear that they torched the clinic,” said Pimpi.
He said the closure negatively affected a lot of people in the community and the surrounding areas. He said a special meeting has been organised with all the relevant stakeholders to address residents’ concerns.
People had to turn back because the clinic is closed.
Mzanywa Ndibongo, chair of the Khayelitsha Health Forum (KHF), condemned the incident. He said it severely affected the development of the area.
He said the protest was related to service delivery. “We condemned any violence activities, especially that affect the community. Now, the clinic is closed because of unruly people. The clinic has nothing to do with the service delivery. The people who set alight the clinic are the ones who are going to need it tomorrow,” said Ndibongo.
He echoed Pimpi’s sentiment to organise a special meeting, including the Marikana community.
Ndibongo urged the residents to protect the government facilities. “They mustn’t allow their emotions to overwhelm them. Some of them and their parents are taking medication from that clinic. They are putting their lives in danger,” said Ndibongo.
