ANC must accept responsibility for Vuwani riots

17 May 2016

The ANC government must take full responsibility for the problems such as those in Vuwani and in other areas of South Africa where community dissatisfaction spills over into violent protests, Dr. Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus parliamentary spokesperson on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, says.

 Dr. Groenewald, today during the debate on Vuwani, said dissatisfied people in the country have learnt that there is only one way to get the attention of government, and that is to burn everything.

 “We have now again seen this in Vuwani. Only after the fires had started did the relevant ministers pay attention and listen to the objections of the community of Vuwani. Why was this not done before that point?

“The minister of State Security (David Mahlobo) is sleeping. If he had done his work properly, he would have known of about the threatening problem and it would not have escalated to this point. If he denies that he is sleeping, it means he knew what was going to happen and then he was complicit because he did nothing to prevent these acts.

“The biggest problem is however the president who had said that the ANC’s interests come first, and only thereafter the interests of the country. That is why no attention was paid to the grievances of the people of Vuwani.

“We have seen the same happen in the past at Merafong in Carletonville. The community also started burning buildings when the town was incorporated into Northwest. Only when the damage had already been done, did the government decide to revert to the original divisions.

“Just like now at Vuwani, the violence is taking place because the ANC is joining two municipalities through new demarcations to try and manipulate the votes in the area. The ANC’s interests are being placed first and the interests of the community comes second.

“To find a lasting solution, power has to be decentralised. More municipalities have to be created with competent officials to do the work properly and to eradicate corruption.

“Then only will there be service delivery and clean government and will not be necessary to burn down buildings so that government listen to people,” Dr. Groenewald said.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus parliamentary spokesperson: Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs, 17 May 2016