Members of the local branch of the South African National Civic Organization (Sanco) revealed during a meeting of residents of Hamutsha, that they had been reliably informed that people were planning to assassinate some of them as a way of preventing them from fighting for the rights of people. They told the people not to be surprised if some of the Sanco members were assassinated
Several burning issues, including the prices for the acquisition of residential sites and the rate of crime in the area, were discussed during a general meeting at the local Mafhumulele Primary School on Sunday morning. A representative from the Mugivhi Royal Council, Mr Avhapfani Mugivhi, revealed that residents of Hamutsha village will be expected to pay R850 before they are allocated a residential site, while the price for non-residents is R1 100.
Residents viewed the new prices as an insult, saying they were not consulted before the new price hike took effect. “These people are like hungry vultures. They will continue to enrich themselves at the expense of the poor as long as we are afraid to tell them that what they are doing is cruelty at its worst,” said one resident.
The meeting resolved that the new prices should not take effect until proper consultations had been done. Mr Mugivhi promised to take the matter up with the relevant structures, although he was reluctant to commit himself that the price hike would be kept on hold until the consultation process was completed.
During the meeting, traditional leaders were accused of corruption and nepotism in the allocation of residential sites. Some angry residents, who produced proof of payment during the meeting, said they had waited for the promised sites for more than a year.
A delegation from the Levubu Police Station, led by Insp NE Mashau, addressed the gathering. According to statistics which were presented during the meeting, the rate of crime had decreased dramatically in the area during the past month.
After presenting the report, the police officers were accused of excelling in fighting petty crimes, while they were failing to make a breakthrough in the longstanding ritual murder case which took place at the Muungamunwe area about three months.