More demarcation trouble in Vuwani

Services around Vuwani came to a standstill on Monday when hundreds of villagers marched to the Vuwani Magistrate's Court to support 33 suspects charged with public violence, arson and theft. They were arrested during the unruly protests at Vuwani and Mashau last year.

Members of the community demanded that the cases against the suspects be withdrawn. The arrests came after dissatisfaction with the Municipal Demarcation Board's decision to incorporate their area into a new municipality that will include Malamulele. Residents in the area had made it clear that they wanted nothing to do with the proposed municipality, and that they wanted to remain under Makhado Municipality.

Some of the suspects are school pupils. Charges against them include arson, public violence and theft. Soon after the court adjourned, a group of youths attempted to block the road and some pelted passing vehicles with stones. The police then used rubber bullets to disperse them and one police vehicle was damaged.

Buses and taxis were not moving and streets were deserted, with people staying at home. Most of the community members who commute from around Vuwani could not travel to their work places as there was no transport, due to the shutdown.

A resident of Tshitungulwane, Mr Rudzani Mukobani, who works in Thohoyandou, said that he did not go to work as there was no transport available. “Although I failed to go to work, I am supporting this strike because the government did not consult us. They took a decision regarding the new proposed municipality and we want to remain under Makhado Municipality,” he said.

The spokesperson of the Pro Makhado Task Team, Mr Arnold Mulaudzi, said that the community around Vuwani and other traditional leaders around Vuwani and their people did not want to belong to a new municipality that would include his area and Malamulele. He criticised members of the Vuwani Demarcation task team who had submitted that they would like to meet with the people of Malamulele and be part of the new municipality.

“Let them go,” said Mulaudzi, referring to those who wanted to mix with the Malamulele people in the proposed new municipality. Mulaudzi said his people had nothing to do with the Vuwani Demarcation Task Team, a combination of community structures that made a submission to the public hearings held by the board in Thohoyandou last year. He warned the police not to arouse the anger of the people by arresting their leaders.

“The people of Malamulele burnt schools and shopping complexes, but no one was arrested. Here you are practising double standards by intimidating leaders by arresting them,” he added. Mulaudzi said, “Businesses and schools were closed because the community is in solidarity with those who appeared in court and whose cases were postponed.”

Vuwani Magistrate Court manager Mr Moses Muravha responded to the memorandum handed over by the residents that demands that all charges against the accused be withdrawn. Muravha said that he had sent the memorandum to the National Prosecuting Authority for a decision.

Vuwani SAPS spokesperson W/O Elijah Malatjie said that Dingan Mashau (25) of Vyeboom had been charged with malicious damage to property and he appeared on Tuesday. His case was postponed to 14 March for a bail application.

Date:04 March 2016

By: Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

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