African National Congress chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota warned Khutsong residents on Saturday afternoon that those who participate in ”destruction” in the area will be dealt with by police.
”Those who intimidated businesses into financing the destruction of Khutsong will be attended to. Police and other government officers acting contrary to the Constitution in executing their duties will also be dealt with now or soon after the elections,” Lekota warned.
He arrived in Khutsong on Friday to ensure residents’ constitutional rights after some community members threatened earlier this week to boycott the upcoming local government elections.
Residents are up in arms over plans to transfer Khutsong from what they perceive as the richer province of Gauteng to the poorer North West.
Khutsong is currently part of Gauteng and forms part of Merafong, which straddles the border between the two provinces.
This week, residents declared the area a no-go zone for the ANC. However, Merafong municipality spokesperson Seabo Gaeganelwe said residents did not act violently or aggressively during Lekota’s visit.
Earlier on Saturday, Lekota met the leadership of pressure group Anti-North West and called on it to stop persuading Khutsong voters to boycott the March 1 local government election.
Anti-North West is an organisation formed by residents who oppose the incorporation of Khutsong into the North West province.
Gaeganelwe said the minister told the group he has no problem with it not wanting to vote, but it should stop asking others not to vote.
Lekota appealed to the group to stop disrupting education by forcing students in Khutsong out of classrooms to join their campaign, to stop spreading rumours and lies for popularity, to stop acting against democratic ethos by instigating people not to vote, to refrain from intimidating residents and for its violent campaigns of destruction to come to an end.
He also addressed Merafong business and explained that Parliament went beyond community interest when taking the decision to incorporate the entire Merafong municipality into the North West.
”Parliament considered national interest and in as much as people raise their objections, no one will intimidate or deny the people in the town the right to vote,” said Gaeganelwe.
He added that the government is committed to protecting the rights of businesses to trade in Merafong without fear from criminals.
Gaeganelwe said the minister’s message to Khutsong residents was that no one would be denied the right to vote, campaign or stand for political office.
Lekota would address a mass rally at the local stadium on Sunday afternoon. He was then expected to leave the area. — Sapa