Nomakanjani residents met with Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Gary van Niekerk on Monday, where a short and long-term plan was outlined to resolve crippling service delivery issues in the Motherwell community.
However, protests along the Addo Road erupted again in the evening, though it was not the same residents involved.
Van Niekerk attended a meeting in the afternoon with more than 50 residents after a site visit in the morning, where he saw residents living in flooded houses.
A minibus and bus were torched as informal settlement residents took their frustrations over a lack of electricity to the streets, blockading the Addo Road with rocks and burning tyres last week.
The protest was called off on Friday after corporate services political head Yolisa Pali met residents and they were promised that Van Niekerk would visit them.
On Friday, residents showed the two politicians how they had been living in flooded streets since the heavy rains in May.
Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu confirmed protests along the Addo Road had started again.
“They started stoning cars,” she said.
Earlier, Van Niekerk left the site visit for a funeral and returned at 2.24pm, where the community was given a report back by human settlement executive director Madoda Mcwabeni and Ward 59 councillor Bulelani Matenjwa.
Mcwabeni told residents that Nomakanjani was in a “red zone” according to the law, as they were living too close to the Motherwell Cemetery.
He requested the metro be given 21 days to come up with a relocation plan.
However, residents were unhappy with his relocation proposal.
Van Niekerk calmed the residents who had quickly became agitated.
“Remember in the morning I said we would bring short-term and long-term plans.
“The housing is part of the long-term plan.
“The water and sanitation issues are short-term plans.
“I need to do my research to get back with a plan on how to solve the bigger problems,” Van Niekerk said.
Matenjwa said he had written to city manager Noxolo Nqwazi on Friday to request more money and trucks that could assist in draining the water.
“We agreed that on Tuesday the water would be sucked up.
“They said they would need the ground to first dry before they are able to bring soil to level the roads.
“One of the challenges they had was the overcrossing illegal electrical connections, which made it difficult for them to bring their graders in [and] which we will address.
“Through the mayor and the office of the city manager, we will look for a budget to find soil that can be used, because if we do not level that soil it will become mud.
“Electricians are willing to come and work as long as their lives are not in danger, as two of their vehicles have been burnt.”
He said the “smart taps” which had a limit of 1,000 litres a day would be replaced as they could not serve the entire community.
On behalf of the community, resident Luxolo Maule said they would wait for 21 days and keep municipal officials safe while working.
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