The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) on Wednesday condemned the violent protests by angry North West residents over poor service delivery.
Although Sanco has been behind some of the protests, the organisation’s provincial secretary, Gabriel Nkgweng, said the organisation did not condone the violent nature that had characterised some of the protests.
”We strongly condemn any violence. As an organisation we are for peaceful demonstrations, which will help highlight the plight of the people.”
Nkgweng said the widespread protests had been caused by the municipalities’ failure to keep the public informed about service delivery in the area.
”There is a poor communication between the local municipalities and the community regarding issues that have to do with development in the area.
”The municipalities do not want to meet the communities to discuss these issues. This has left the communities feeling isolated, which has led to the unrest,” said Nkgweng.
He said Sanco had decided to support the protests in an effort to ensure that the government engaged with the communities to solve the ongoing problems surrounding poor service delivery.
The protests, which began last Thursday, have seen 119 protesters arrested.
Eighty protesters were arrested on Tuesday in Boikhutso near Lichtenburg and in Boitumelong township in Bloemhof.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Louis Jacobs said on Wednesday that the arrests in Boikhutso came after protesters looted and damaged foreigners’ shops.
”The protests initially started due to people complaining about poor service delivery. They are now attacking and damaging shops belonging to foreigners — as to how the two [are linked], I don’t know,” said Jacobs.
A substation was also damaged during the protests, leaving the area without electricity overnight.
Jacobs said Eskom would fix the substation on Wednesday.
Those arrested would be charged with public violence, house breaking, theft and malicious damage to property. Depending on investigations, charges such as arson and robbery could also be added.
The 20 protesters arrested in Lichtenburg are expected to appear in the town’s magistrate’s court on Thursday.
In Boitumelong, the protesters disrupted traffic on the N12 by staging a sit in and blockading the road, demanding that municipality management listen to their grievances about lack of service delivery in the town.
The 60 arrested there were expected to appear at the Bloemhof Magistrate’s Court later on Wednesday.
Another 30 who had been arrested in the area last week were released on bail on Tuesday.
Nine people were also expected to appear at the Zeerust Magistrate’s Court for public violence following a service delivery protest in the area last week.
Last Thursday, schools and transport were disrupted by protests in Ikageleng near Zeerust. On Friday night protesters from Boitumelong township outside Bloemhof looted shops belonging to foreigners and threw stones at the police during their protests.
On the weekend Itumeleng Lethoko, the mayor of Ditsobotla municipality under which Boikhutso falls, was taken away from the area under police guard to protect her from angry residents.
The office of the North West premier refused to comment on Wednesday and referred to a statement released earlier in which they acknowledged that there had been inadequate communication with the community.
”In some instances members of the community do not know the progress the municipality is making with regard to the delivery of services. To address this we are focusing on strengthening the capacity of municipalities and departments to communicate effectively with the public,” the statement read.
”Accordingly, the government appeals to all people to take advantage of all the available democratic platforms, such as imbizo and ward meetings, to express their views and influence the content, pace and quality of service delivery.”
Premier Edna Molewa’s spokesperson, Cornelius Monama, said police would continue to act firmly against any form of lawlessness, damage to property and any threat to human life.
These protests come barely a week after Molewa said in her state of the province address that the province was doing its best to ensure service delivery. — Sapa