The Ses’khona People’s Rights Movement has vowed to turn Cape Town’s central business district into chaos the next time the group protests against the Western Cape government.

“We will bring 300 000 people to the city centre, and make sure that nothing can move within it,” said Ses’khona leader Andile Lili after nearly a thousand people from across the city stood outside the provincial legislature.

Moments before Western Cape MEC for Human Settlements Bonginkosi Madikizela upset the agitated crowd by giving unsatisfactory answers to their requests. These were requests that had been handed over to the provincial government in previous protest marches, which, according to Ses’khona, have not been addressed.

Earlier, African National Congress (ANC) Western Cape leader Marius Fransman was booed by the protestors when he attempted to address the crowd. Despite the stonewalling, ANC leadership said they would still try to work with the lobby group, as the two organizations had the same goals in mind.

“Despite a past period of tensions, the ANC remains committed to fight with Ses’Khona for better services and conditions for the poor. The ANC may differ with some of the tactics followed by Ses’Khona in the past, but recognise that they have a just cause and role to overcome inferior service delivery in poor areas,” the party said in a statement released after Fransman’s dismissal earlier in the day.

But Ses’khona leader Lili, says the Western Cape government and legislature have disappointed the poor living within the City’s limits.

“These people inside [the legislature] are elected to uphold the constitution and help the people, but they don’t, they are supposed to be able to be held accountable but they do not let themselves. If you look at the difference between how much money has been spent to improve the CBD, millions of Rands, compared to what is happening in the townships and informal settlements, it is a shame.”

After the swelling, angry crowd had left, during their departure reports of looting were heard, Lili vowed that the group would mobilize residents from various communities to march on legislature again in the near future. VOC (Andriques Che Petersen)