FF Plus demands intervention in Middelburg crisis

12 November 2021

The FF Plus has sent an official letter to the Mpumalanga Premier, Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane, and the provincial Police Commissioner, Lt.-Gen. Semakaleng Manamela, requesting them to urgently intervene in the growing humanitarian crisis and escalating violence in Middelburg.

The municipal officials of the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality (Hendrina, Middelburg, Pullens Hope, Rietkuil) have been on strike since September due to their dissatisfaction with the outsourcing of certain services and salary increases. Meanwhile, the situation has escalated to a safety and humanitarian crisis.

Striking officials are throwing petrol bombs at traffic officers' homes, garbage is not being removed, the water supply to residents has been sabotaged, powerlines have been damaged and the municipal workers who do turn up for work are being intimidated and threatened.

The FF Plus also lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) to investigate the violation of human rights in the Municipality.

In the FF Plus's view, it is unacceptable that municipal workers are holding the Municipality and its residents hostage by destroying infrastructure as well as public and private property, while they still received their full salaries for October.

Decisive action must be taken against these municipal officials who are violating the law with their conduct, jeopardising the safety of residents and turning the once prosperous town of Middelburg into a rubbish heap.

Statement issued by Werner Weber, FF Plus MPL and provincial leader: Mpumalanga, 12 November 2021