On Thursday, around 60 young people from Alra Park in Nigel staged a protest outside the City of Ekurhuleni offices, demanding employment as cleaners. The protesters are members of the Arla Park Youth Unemployment group, which has 77 members, and they claim that cleaning and waste collection jobs have been given to outsiders, despite their repeated requests for employment since August.
Community leaders noted that a three-year cleaning project had recently been renewed, and the same workers were re-employed, leaving local unemployed residents without opportunities. Protesters expressed frustration at the lack of transparency and local hiring, emphasizing the high unemployment rate and the urgent need for work to support their families.
Many participants shared personal struggles, including long-term joblessness and difficulty securing basic employment. They highlighted that cleaning jobs are often not advertised and called for fairer access to local opportunities.
City officials Segametsi Hope Mosimane and Shadow Shabangu acknowledged the protesters’ grievances, documented their concerns, and promised to facilitate a meeting between the community and municipal officials by the following Friday.
