The mayor of Makhado Municipality, Cllr Rhulani Nkuzana, lashed out against the “racist innuendos of people who have not transformed” and called them “barbarians who should rot in prison or in hell, where they belong.”

He referred to those responsible for the recent spate of seemingly racist inspired public painting of first the Makhado statue and also several road signs along the major roads around the town.

Speaking at his own special request during the opening of probably the last council meeting of the year, Cllr Nkuzana, in his capacity as Chairman of the Executive Committee, thanked councillors for their commitment and hard work. He praised the progress with the supply of roads, water and electricity within the municipal area, but said much is still left to be desired as far as overall delivery is concerned. In some villages, only limited municipal services are as yet available and this needs to be attended to.

He then expressed grave concern over what he called “the racist innuendos” and “forces of darkness” to which the town has been subjected lately.

Referring to the spate of painting vandalism, he said: “The colours they are using show who they are, whom they are working for and what their mission is. This sort of racism stinks in the nostrils of the majority of decent people in our democratic community.” He said the people who successfully survived the struggle in the past, against all odds, will not be intimidated now in the new democracy by these barbaric racist acts but would rather try to educate the perpetrators, who should be brought to book.

“These barbarians should rot in prison or in hell, where they belong,” the mayor said.