Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by DA Councillor Don van Zyl.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Maquassi Hills has engaged the local SAPS to request an increased police presence in the municipality to maintain law and order and to protect municipal infrastructure.
Our request comes after an increase in disruptive protest action and the threat of vandalism and violence to infrastructure from striking municipal workers. We have been informed that the ANC’s Chief Whip, Cllr Moletsa Rangaka, last night mobilised community members to close the N12 to protest a lack of water supply – which incidentally his party is responsible for delivering.
The last thing this volatile situation needs is additional protest. It is irresponsible for the ANC to go out and add fuel to the fire in this manner.
During our informal engagements with local union representatives from SAMWU and IMATU, assurances were made that protest action would be peaceful, but with the escalation in the stand-off with the unions and the ANC-governed municipality, the situation can deteriorate quickly.
The residents of Maquassi Hills have been held at ransom for a political dispute between workers and the warring ANC factions since the election. This most recent strike action has been going for 21 days now. Recently an electricity substation was vandalised, dumping large sections of the community into darkness. All municipal services have been suspended, leaving sewage and water leaks unattended while refuse continues to pile up across town.
The Wolmaransstad prison has also been without electricity supply since the weekend, forcing them to run generators. They have now depleted their diesel reserves which could lead to a jailbreak.
The Tswelelang Clinic has also been closed today due to a lack of water and electricity supply.
The municipal offices are also closed for all other services.
Since the November election last year, the stand-off between municipal workers and the ANC have been escalating to the complete chaos the municipality finds itself in. The DA has repeatedly engaged with the Mayor, Cllr Mzwandile Feliti, the Speaker, Cllr Sarah Nkatlo, and the MEC for COGHSTA, Lenah Miga MPL, to intervene in the impasse.
In our engagement with MEC Lenah Miga, she indicated that they are working on it. But as things stand it is evident that the entire ANC government couldn’t be bothered. This would never be the situation under a DA-led government.