Vuwani under lockdown as residents threaten violence ahead of the elections
7 May 2019
Vuwani in Limpopo is under lockdown as residents threaten violence on the eve of the general elections.
Several government services have been forced to shut down and police are already in strategic positions around the vast area.
The residents are gathered at a local stadium where they are chanting anti-government slogans and demanding that officials at the Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, including MEC Jerry Ndou, visit the area to address them.
Pro-Makhado Task Team leader Arnold Mulaudzi told News24 that they have been in contact with Ndou.
"The MEC has indicated that he's in contact with the national minister and we are awaiting his response," Mulaudzi added.
For the past four years, Vuwani residents have been demanding to be under the jurisdiction of the Makhado municipality.
Chaos erupted in 2016 when the municipal demarcation board included the area under the newly constituted Collins Chabane municipality.
Addressing the crowd, Mulaudzi said: "When we started our struggle in 2005, no one took us seriously.
"To show that we are not being taken seriously, the president promised to address our issue but he never returned (to our area)."
By the afternoon, residents were still waiting for the MEC and the situation was becoming volatile.
