TSHIVHASE - The crisis that started in the Tshivhase area three months ago after the death of Tendani Victor Lukhwareni, deepened this week as the two senior leaders of the Crisis Committee, also senior PAC members in the province, were arrested after a community meeting on Tuesday.

The Crisis Committee was discussing a report-back from the Office of the MEC, which was responding to the community memorandum submitted on 20 June.

The two officials were arrested with another woman, who allegedly threatened the police with violence. The spokesperson in the Office of the MEC for Safety, Security and Liaison, Emanuel Matidze, confirmed the arrest.

Matidze also confirmed that he had been informed about the 15-year-old boy who was allegedly shot in the eye after the community meeting held at the Presbyterian Church in Vhufulwi. Matidze said he was informed that the two members, who were still to be charged during the time of going to press, were arrested for instigating public violence. He said the woman was arrested after she threw stones at the police.

Meanwhile, Avhatakali Nethononda, who is the leader of Tshivhase Youth Committee, said they were disappointed about the arrest of their leaders. "These people are members of the community as they come from this area. They are here as part of community, but not as PAC members in this matter. They are just affected like anybody else," said Nethononda while adding that he does not understand why their leaders were arrested as there had been no violence before and after the march.

PAC provincial leader, Maxwell Nemadzivhanani, said he was disappointed that the police had arrested the two officials "who were trying to cool down the tempers of the community. We view this as an attempt by police to frustrate our community, so that they can lose focus in their struggle against ritual killings. We are also disappointed that MEC Dikeledi Magadzi failed to honor the request from the community to address them about the issue," said Nemadzivhanani, while adding that the community should be calm and avoid any means of criminal acts.

On behalf of the MEC, Matidze handed the response to the crisis committee in the area office on Monday. The Crisis Committee, which demanded that the response should be embargoed until Tuesday after the community meeting, requested that the MEC or her representative should come and read the memorandum to the community.

However, this was turned down by the MEC, who was informed telephonically by Matidze in the presence of the media, the Crisis Committee and Area Commissioner Maepa and his assistants.

The MEC told Matidza that there was no need for her to come and read the memorandum to the community as they had done their part by responding within fourteen days as requested in the memorandum.

The memorandum demanded, among other things, that the Scorpions be mandated to investigate all the ritual murder cases in the area, as the community has lost faith in the police. They also demanded the disbanding of the Special Investigative Unit, the transfer of Area Commissioner Masepa Maepa, and the establishment of an office of Independent Complaints Directorate and the emptying of the Mavhola Dam.

In her response, the MEC said the issue of the Scorpions, the emptying of the Mavhola Dam and the establishment of an office of the ICD were beyond her jurisdiction.

The MEC said there was not enough information to prove that the special investigating unit and Maepa were failing. She therefore advised the community to help with information that could help substantiate that.

She also said her office was committed to solving the problems at Tshivhase, which is the reason why she has offered R100 000 for information that can help in the arrest and prosecution of Tendani's killers. "The fact that we have responded to the community memorandum within fourteen days is another sign of commitment," said Matidze while appealing to the community to keep cool and help the police with information that can lead to the arrest of the ritual murderers.