Category Archives: The Herald

The Herald: State to get tough on violent protesters

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http://www.peherald.com/news/article/12358

State to get tough on violent protesters

Quinton Mtyala
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has promised that the government will be getting tough on violent protesters

In his state of the nation address last night, Zuma said South Africans had to celebrate, promote, exercise and defend their constitution and that violence was unacceptable.

“It is unacceptable when people’s rights are violated by perpetrators of violent actions, such as actions that lead to injury and death of persons, damage to property and the destruction of valuable public infrastructure.”

His comments come almost a month after violent protests in Sasolburg’s Zamdela township in a dispute over new municipal boundaries.

Zuma said: “We are duty bound to uphold, defend and respect the constitution as the supreme law of the Republic. We will spare no effort in doing so.

“For this reason, I have instructed the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster (JCPSC) to put measures in place, with immediate effect, to ensure that any incidents of violent protest are acted upon, investigated and prosecuted.”

He said special courts would be set aside to deal with those suspected of public violence during protests, and these cases would be prioritised on the court rolls.

But Zuma said while some protested, the constitutional rights of all South Africans had to be defended. His government would not disappoint regarding that expectation.

“The JCPSC has therefore put measures in place at national, provincial and local level to deal with such incidents effectively,” Zuma said.

But before the anger of communities was expressed through violence, he called on all government departments to address concerns.

Grahamstown-based Unemployment People’s Movement spokesman Ayanda Kota said “Most protests are peaceful and people resort to the streets when they are not being heard by those in charge. The way he spoke was a demonstration of an authoritarian government.”

– Additional reporting by Rochelle de Kock

The Herald: Addo office set alight in protest

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http://www.theherald.co.za/article.aspx?id=463578

Addo office set alight in protest

2009/08/27
Mthetho Ndoni HERALD REPORTER ndonim@avusa.co.za

A HOUSING protest in Addo turned violent yesterday when about 500 disgruntled residents barricaded roads with burning tyres and set alight a councillor’s office.

The protests follow several months of tension in the Sundays River Valley municipal area, which surfaced with the axing of controversial municipal manager Siphiwo Sohena.

A large number of armed police were deployed to the area and 23 people arrested.

Eastern Cape Local Government and Traditional Affairs MEC Sicelo Gqobana had to be called from Bhisho to address residents demanding his presence.

Later tensions reached boiling point at the municipal offices in Kirkwood.

There was an exchange of words between ANC Addo councillor Anthony Dancey and Mayor Siphokazi Matinise at a closed meeting in the presence of Gqobana.

Dancey stormed out of the meeting but Gqobana later asked him to come back. He said the community had decided to protest because they were tired of being told lies over and over by Bhisho and municipal officials.

He said locals were demanding houses. He also believed that Gqobana should listen to their grievances because “the mayor was not willing to face angry residents”.

Matinise said residents in Addo’s Valentia area had a reason to protest because they had been on the housing waiting list for years. “We understand their frustration, but the blame should be put on the Housing Department in Bisho.

“We’ve submitted their housing application to the department but we are waiting for an approval.

When this happened, the municipality would start the house building programme, she said.

The municipality was opposed to the actions of Nomathamsanqa residents because housing delivery was in progress in that area, she said.

Gqobana acknowledged the housing and corruption problem faced by the Sundays River municipality. Addressing the angry crowd in Addo, he said he would ask the municipality about the delays.

“There is still an investigation into the municipality’s finances. Therefore we are having a special council meeting to address issues around delivery.”

Gqobana told the residents to remain calm and that he would return with a detailed report from the council meeting. He said he would meet the residents along with provincial Housing MEC Nombulelo Mabandla tomorrow.

The Herald: Knives out in protest against councillor

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http://www.theherald.co.za/herald/news/n17_13052008.htm

The Herald

Knives out in protest against councillor

Mawande Jack POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

A MOTHERWELL councillor‘s assistant allegedly stabbed a resident during a protest at the weekend, in a fracas the councillor says was due to him not being duly “notified” of the demonstration.

A charge has also been laid by an elderly woman who says Ward 54 councillor Likhaya Matebese swore at her.

Matebese, chairman of the Motherwell councillors, alleged yesterday that his assistant acted in retaliation. “My assistant was attacked and stabbed by them earlier. He came to my house bleeding and was immediately rushed to hospital.

“I should have been notified (of the protest) as ward councillor. These people are even staying in this ward.”

His assistant, Ntsikelelo Mahambehlala, who was discharged after being treated, said he was attacked while addressing protesters on the NU2 square.

Four elderly women also claim they were assaulted by Matabese supporters.

Police spokesman Inspector Dumile Gwavu said two case dockets were opened yesterday. “One is a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and the other (is) crimen injuria.”

The confrontation follows a protest last week over R18-million from the European Union for the Motherwell Urban Renewal Project. Angry residents held municipal officials hostage in the project offices to force mayor Nondumiso Maphazi to account for the use of the funds.

Residents have since demonstrated against councillors they claim enriched themselves. Motherwell Stakeholders Committee chairman Sandi Thwani condemned Matebese and his men for “waging attacks against the residents”.

The Herald: Municipal officials held in funds drama released

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http://www.theherald.co.za/herald/news/n11_07052008.htm

The Herald 6/5/2008

Municipal officials held in funds drama released

Mawande Jack POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

A HOSTAGE drama in which municipal officials were locked inside the Motherwell Urban Renewal Project (Murp) offices by angry residents overnight ended yesterday morning.

The residents said the next target would be councillors, whom they claim enriched themselves from the project.

Seven Motherwell councillors were mentioned as being responsible for the failure of the billion-rand presidential project to benefit local residents.

Mayor Nondumiso Maphazi, who failed to turn up yesterday to respond to the community‘s concerns, has been given until Friday to respond. The residents‘ main gripe is that funds of R18-million for 2006 and R32-million for 2007/08 from the European Union, meant for Murp, have not been accounted for by the council.

Apart from the government presidential special project funds, the EU committed about R132-million to the project, which was launched in 2001 by President Thabo Mbeki to fight crime, alleviate poverty and create employment.

Group leader Sandile Thwani said a series of rallies, visits, picketing and marches would form part of the action, which would continue until Maphazi had agreed to come to give the group a report on how money for the project had been used.

Thwani said the community‘s main concerns were the “non-implementation of social compact resolutions” for all stakeholders, a lack of say by residents in the project, and the “non-availability of a detailed audited financial report on all European Union funds”.

Maphazi is at the centre of the storm after she allegedly sidelined the Motherwell Community Development Forum and the Murp steering committee, and placed the project under her office.

Municipal spokesman Lourens Schoeman said only the mayor could respond to the claims, but she was busy with 2010 soccer World Cup activities and would not be able to meet the residents. “They must pursue the acceptable channels to voice their grievances to the mayor,” he said.

Police spokesman Captain André Beetge said they had been notified by a Murp official about noon on Monday that a large group of residents had entered the building.

“His view was that no police assistance was necessary. It seems it was not a hostage situation. We kept in hourly contact with him until night. The situation remained the same until they resolved it themselves.”

Thubelisha strikes again….

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The Herald 2/4/2008

Shack dwellers upset over delays in RDP housing completion

Katherine Wilkinson GARDEN ROUTE CORRESPONDENT

PROSPECTIVE RDP housing recipients in Mossel Bay remain extremely unhappy and anxious about the lack of building progress, even after a meeting was held on Monday night in an attempt to alleviate the situation.

Community members broke down their shacks in June and July last year as requested to make space for RDP houses. Families then constructed smaller, temporary, one-room shacks on the edges of the stands, to have somewhere to live while their RDP houses were being built.

Mossel Bay Ward 2 committee member Ernest Kanana said: “Not a single house has been completely finished since July last year and many houses are already cracked.”

He estimated there were about 100 houses and said the families for whom the houses were intended were still squashed into one- room shacks, which provided no privacy.

Thobeka Beyi, one of the housing recipients, said: “My new RDP house has two holes in the roof. Soon it will be winter and it will be raining, and there are old people here as well.”

Municipal housing, environment, sport and facilities head Johan van Zyl said: “We are also anxious and find ourselves in a predicament.”

He said Thubelisha Homes was an agency appointed by the government to assist municipalities with delivery of RDP houses and Thubelisha had, in turn, appointed Ujima Contractors to build the houses.

“The two companies are in a legal dispute, so now there is a stand-off. The council has assurance from Thubelisha that the project will continue and that houses will be completed, but not on time.”

He said the council was not party to Thubelisha‘s contract with Ujima Contractors.

Thubelisha Homes spokesman Xolani Tyilana said: “Thubelisha Homes was appointed by the Mossel Bay municipality to manage the building of RDP houses for the community of Elangeni. The houses were to be built on the same plots where people‘s shacks were. People were never asked to vacate their plots at any stage.

“Thubelisha appointed a contractor to build the houses. The contractor under-performed and Thubelisha had no choice but to terminate its services.

“We hope that by the end of this month the new contractor will be on site. We urge the people to stay where they lived before, and not to move anywhere else until advised by Thubelisha Homes, the Mossel Bay municipality or the new contractor.”

http://www.theherald.co.za/herald/news/n03_02042008.htm