Five members of a Johannesburg youth group were on hunger strike at the Union Buildings on Monday in an attempt to get President Thabo Mbeki to address their problems with obtaining funding from the Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF).
Okwethu Ngathi Holdings, a development-focused youth group, has been trying for the past three years to obtain funding from the UYF to help finance the building of houses and establish commercial and industrial infrastructure in Grasmere, south of Johannesburg, said spokesperson Sipho Mbatha.
”Umsobomvu promised to buy us the land needed to develop our area but we have not received a cent since then. We want the president to listen to our complaint and make the funds available to us,” he said.
The cost to buy the land will be R3,5-million. The total cost of the project will be R7,1-million.
The five men — Michael Kganyago (28), Silulamo Dlule (31), Bongani Msibi (24), Sizwe Sibiya (24) and Mbatha (27) — have been on hunger strike since last Monday.
Kganyago was hospitalised and put on to a drip on Friday for a bladder infection and low blood sugar as a result of his participation, but returned to the strike later that day.
The men were arrested on Wednesday and held at the cells at Pretoria central police station until Friday. No charges were brought against them. They were released and continued their hunger strike.
Umsobomvu’s media officer was not available for comment and the Presidency declined to comment on the issue. — Sapa