Police fired rubber bullets at Khutsong residents protesting outside the Constitutional Court on Thursday.
More than 1 000 protesters scattered into the streets of Braamfontein in Johannesburg but some later regrouped again, protesting outside the court against their municipality, Merafong, being included in North West province.
Earlier, protesters burned tyres and there were also reports of stone throwing.
A large number of police officers were keeping the protesters well away from the courtroom where their legal team was arguing that parts of the Constitutional Twelfth Amendment Act — which transferred to the North West the Merafong municipality under which Khutsong falls — be declared invalid.
The residents argue that the government failed to fulfil its constitutional obligation to engage the public before taking the decision to incorporate Merafong into North West province. While they admit that written submissions were invited and a public hearing held, they said the decision to move Merafong was already taken when the submission were invited.
Residents made their feelings known through a host of posters.
”Fuck the oppression” read one of the posters on display as another pleaded: ”If I die buried [sic] me upside down so that NW can kiss my ass”. Yet another poster stated: ”The people must tell you”.
Legal counsel for the Merafong Demarcation Forum faced a string of queries when arguing their demarcation application in court.
The 10 judges of the court interrupted and questioned advocate Andre Louw, who represents the Merafong community and the residents of Khutsong.
At one stage, Chief Justice Pius Langa told Louw to ”take charge” of his arguments. At several times Louw also faced questions from more than one judge at a time.
President Thabo Mbeki, the minister of provincial and local government, and the minister of justice and constitutional development oppose the application, as do the Gauteng and North West provincial legislatures and their premiers. — Sapa