Zuma to meet with Vuwani people

The South African President Jacob Zuma will address the community of Vuwani on Sunday at Nandoni sport grounds after against the incorporation of the new municipality LIM 345 since 2015.

Residents in the area had made it clear that they wanted nothing to do with the new municipality but wanted to remain under Makhado Municipality.

 “Residents are complaining that while they are negotiating with government, government is doing so in bad faith as they are implementing many things in the area against the will of the people,” After the senior traditional leaders around Vuwani and surrounding area withdrawn to talk to the government about the decision taken by the Demarcation board to reverse their decision in March.

The Vhavenda King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana led the senior traditional leaders to Luthuli House to meet President Jacob Zuma on Monday to discuss about the inclusion of Vuwani to Lim345 municipality.Services in Vuwani have been brought to a standstill.

Police in the area were on high alert to keep a watchful eye on the protesters. Last year Vuwani saw several violent protests when residents refused to be incorporated into a new municipality, including Malamulele. In 2015, Humula Secondary School in the Malamulele District was set alight and almost 30 schools were torched and vandalised following a protest against the incorporation of the Lim345 municipality aound Vuwani area.

"Parents kept their children from school because they feared for their safety,"They said. They said the community will only consider stopping the protest once they receive a reviewed a commitment letter on the project from the department.

A Grade 12 –pupil, Mpho Maelekano, said that she feels very bad about the situation. “I'm afraid this will affect my studies if the problem is not resolved," she said.

She said that was getting ready for school when her aunt told her to stay home because there was a protest.

Another Grade 12 pupil, Matimba Maswanganyi, said he was also concerned that he could not go to school. "I'm worried because there is no school and shops are also closed. We are forced to buy food in Thohoyandou and Elim which is far," he said.

News - Date: 04 May 2017

Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

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