Cabinet welcomes Zuma's Vuwani 'intervention'
11 May 2017
Cape Town - Cabinet has welcomed President Jacob Zuma's intervention in Vuwani, Communications Minister Ayanda Dlodlo said on Thursday.
Zuma met King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana of Vha-Venda, and other interested parties, to find amicable solutions to the Vuwani demarcation dispute, Dlodlo told a briefing following a regular Cabinet meeting.
"The meeting accepted His Majesty's proposal that the Vhembe District Municipality should provide services to the people of Vuwani while a lasting solution to the demarcation issue is being sought. The proposed resolution is in line with the applicable legislation governing municipalities," Dlodlo read from a statement.
According to Cabinet, these efforts resulted in schools and businesses returning to normality.
"Cabinet commends the stakeholders for enforcing the implementation of the agreements brokered by the King.”
Residents had been protesting since the Municipal Demarcation Board moved Vuwani and surrounding areas into the Lim 345 municipality, from the Makhado municipality. In April 2016, they lost a court bid to remain in Makhado. More than 20 schools were burnt and schooling disrupted for months during violent protests in 2016.
On Sunday, residents had waited since around 10:00 for Zuma to address them, only to hear at approximately 15:00 that he would not arrive. Co-operative Governance Minister Des van Rooyen was shouted down with "Zuma! Zuma! Zuma!" when he tried to address the crowd.
Initially, it was reported that this decision was made because Zuma's safety could not be guaranteed. The presidency later claimed in a statement that he did not go because not everyone affected by the establishment of the new municipality was present.
Cabinet appealed to parents and residents to support the government’s interventions to ensure pupils returned to class.
Dlodlo said government was trying to avoid apartheid-era spatial planning and tribalism.
"I don't think South Africans want to go back to demarcation along tribal lines."
Cabinet urged people to stop looting and violence during protests and to seek solutions instead.
“The violence and acts of looting and the destruction of business properties that took place recently in Coligny, Eldorado Park, and Ennerdale is strongly condemned by cabinet," Cabinet said.
