The Khutsong Anti-North West Forum on Friday called on African National Congress (ANC) deputy president Jacob Zuma to mediate in the ongoing violent protests that have rocked the Merafong Community near Carletonville, west of Johannesburg.
”This is an ANC vs ANC fight. Some ANC members in the local government believe that we should agree to be incorporated into the North West, while others believe that we should resist the incorporation — the ANC would have to deploy someone from national level to solve this,” said the forum’s organiser, Paul Ncawane.
He said the forum — made up of mainly ANC members — had requested President Thabo Mbeki to address them when the violence first erupted in late 2005.
”He never responded to our calls. We then called on Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa but he also never came.
”When Minister of Provincial and Local Government Sydney Mufamadi came, he ended at the police station and did not come directly to address the people.”
Ncawane said Defence Minister Mosiuoa ”Terror” Lekota, who was then sent to Khutsong, left with egg on his face after residents told him to get out of the town.
”We initially accepted comrade Lekota, but he then went on radio speaking badly about us. He was also very confrontational and refused to listen to the people.
”That is why people turned on him. But we believe that Zuma could be able to mediate well. If he has the time we would gladly welcome him,” said Ncwane.
The ANC in the region said it would release a statement about the issue on Friday.
The call for mediation came after Khutsong residents took to the streets again last week in protest against the incorporation of the area into the North West province.
More than 120 people have been arrested since then, including 12 people who were arrested on Thursday during a violent protest that saw residents barricade roads and throw petrol bombs and stones at police and passing vehicles.
Meanwhile, the Merafong municipality on Wednesday said it believed that the recent protests had nothing to do with the re-demarcation.
”It has nothing to do with that; we have a case where people are exploiting the situation to push their own agendas,” said municipality spokesperson Seabo Gaeganelwe.
He said if residents were truly concerned about the incorporation they would approach the government directly or take the matter to the Constitutional Court as it was a national issue.
”They would not go around taking children out of school and instructing [people] to go on a rampage damaging property.
”Why not go to the Constitutional Court, this is a national issue that was decided at parliamentary level,” said Gaeganelwe.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Louis Jacobs said the violence had subsided by Friday and that ”life was returning to normal”.
”There have been no incidents this morning [Friday]. It has been very quiet, but police are still out monitoring,” said Jacobs. — Sapa