President Jacob Zuma on Friday said he was ”disturbed” by ”totally unacceptable” violent protests in the past week.
”This includes the recent violent and unfortunate confrontation between members of the South African Police Service and members of the South African National Defence Force near a national key point and seat of government, the Union Buildings,” Zuma said in his newsletter.
”Totally unacceptable scenes of violent confrontation also greeted the introduction of the bus rapid transit system in Johannesburg, with several reported cases of human injury and damage to property.
”It just cannot be that a public transport system aimed at improving the lives of our people has to be guarded because some of our compatriots are unhappy about it and want to take out their anger on commuters.”
Two people were shot this week as Johannesburg rolled out a new bus system ahead of the 2010 World Cup, while last week more than 1Â 200 soldiers tried to scale the fence around Zuma’s offices and torched cars outside.
Zuma said the government had emphasised it wanted to build an ”accessible, responsive and interactive government”.
”This cannot be how we wish to voice our displeasure at anything that government is doing,” he said.
”Lawlessness and anarchy will not be tolerated from any segment of our society, regardless of the grievances.”
The soldiers’ protest over wages sparked a national debate about discipline within the ranks of a force whose members earn as little as R2Â 250 a month, half of entry-level teachers.
The transport shooting highlighted tensions between the government and the minibus taxi industry, which currently dominates commuter routes.
Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele told reporters on Friday that the government would step up efforts to negotiate with the taxis to incorporate them into the new system in time for the World Cup.
”Our key responsibility is to get people to the stadium safely and on time. We also need to get the fans out of the stadium back home and to the hotels in safety,” he said.
”Without adequate transport, there will be no fans in the stadium. Without fans inside the stadium, there is no World Cup.” — Sapa, AFP