More mayhem at Vuwani

A number of schools in the Vuwani area were set alight this week, thereby exacerbating the current uncertain situation in which the Department of Education, as well as education in general, finds itself.

Fifty schools and thousands of pupils in the area have been affected as schooling has come to a complete halt. Angry residents have resorted to violence since the weekend after losing a court case forcing them to be part of a new Malamulele Municipality, allegedly against their will, thereby leaving a trail of massive destruction in their wake. This despite the heavy police presence at strategic points around Vuwani and Levubu.

The violence started on Sunday after residents realised that the government was not prepared to change its mind and listen to their plea. A total shutdown was enforced and all services came to a halt. Those working outside the area have been left stranded and have to walk kilometres to areas where there is transport.

The continued burning of public property has led to the suspicion that a group of trained individuals with a military background and who are believed to be foreign nationals could be behind the spate of arson incidents in the Levubu and Vuwani areas. Another theory is that those in favour of a new municipality could be behind the spate of arson attacks, so that the pro-Makhado leadership could be arrested.

According to the first reports earlier this week, eight schools, a traditional office at Mashau, a satellite police station and a post office were set alight in the area. The burnings and destructive tendencies by residents have been condemned from all walks of the community.

Cooperative Governance Minister Des van Rooyen and Limpopo government spokesman Phuti Seloba were some of the many prominent voices to come out against the criminal activity in the area. Meanwhile, the protests have currently come close to becoming a tribal war between the VaTsonga and Vhavenda in the Mashau area. Sources in the area claim the war started when a bakkie load of residents from Mashau were spotted in the Bungeni area in an attempt to burn down schools there.

Claims have also been made that residents were buying their groceries from nearby Bungeni as their shops are closed, but they are now not allowed anywhere near the village. Those who had bought things there had their groceries thrown away or confiscated by angry Bungeni residents.

A resident who did not want to be identified said she understood the residents of Bungeni. "They did nothing wrong; they were also accommodative of us as we did not have anywhere to buy, but our people provoked them by burning their schools. We are really stranded and confused that we who have friends in the area cannot go there for fear of being attacked. If they hear you speaking Tshivenda, they attack you," she said.

It is also alleged parents in the area have taken it upon themselves to guard schools on a 24-hour basis because they feel the police are not doing enough to protect them. Limpopo police spokesperson Lt-Col Malesela Ledwaba confirmed the bad situation in Vuwani. He said nine more schools had been reported burnt at Levubu and Vuwani on Tuesday evening. “This brings to 13 the total number of schools completely gutted in the Levubu and Vuwani policing areas. An attempt was also made on three other schools, which were partiality damaged. Some roads are blockaded in the area.

"No arrests have been made so far. The situation is still tense, but our members are monitoring the situation,” he said.

Date:07 May 2016

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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