By Luvolwethu Ngani
Hundreds of former Schubart Park residents marched through Pretoria on Friday, calling on the City of Tshwane to reinstate them to their flats and urgently refurbish the long-neglected complex as mandated by the Constitutional Court.
The residents, who were evicted in 2011, began their march at the old Marabastad bus depot and proceeded to Tshwane House, where they submitted a memorandum of demands to MMC for Corporate and Shared Services, Kholofelo Morodi.
The march briefly turned tense when news broke that one resident had been arrested for allegedly assaulting a Tshwane Metro Police officer. Angered by the arrest, protesters demanded the individual’s immediate release. March leaders, however, urged calm, guiding the crowd to continue peacefully to Tshwane House to hand over their memorandum.
MMC Morodi acknowledged receipt of the demands and said the municipality would respond in due course. Protesters later went to the Pretoria Central Police Station to press for the release of the arrested resident, who remained in custody at the time of publication.
According to the Chairperson of the Schubart Park Residents, Ali Mashimbye, the march was about accountability. “The purpose of our march was to hand in a memorandum of grievances to Executive Mayor Nasiphi Moya, demanding that Schubart Park be renovated according to the ruling delivered by the Constitutional Court,” he said.
Residents stressed that life had become increasingly difficult since their eviction, citing the lack of water, electricity, and security at the complex. Many carried placards demanding reinstatement and refurbishment, while members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) joined in solidarity.
For resident Solomon Matlala, the fight is deeply personal. “I want to go back to Schubart Park. It is my home, and I belong there,” he said.
The memorandum delivered to the municipality outlines two key demands: reinstatement of residents and immediate refurbishment of the flats. Without intervention, residents argue, their situation will continue to deteriorate.
As the City reviews the memorandum and the arrested resident’s case remains unresolved, the protest highlights the long and painful wait for justice faced by the Schubart Park community.
