Shutdown chaos

The lives of ordinary people have been thrown into a tailspin following sporadic incidents of unrest in the towns of Mokopane and Alma.

By Monday 19 August three women had been arrested and released on warning, after appearing in the Modimolle Magistrate’s Court, as a direct sequel to the unrest in Alma.

Uneasy calm had returned to both Mokopane and Alma.

The BEAT independent investigations established that there was a lull, with residents vowing to take up to the streets within a period of seven days, counting from Thursday 15 August, should
their grievances not be adequately addressed.

Mogalakwena Local Municipality spokesperson, Malesela Selokela, said the authorities would continue to work with the police to ensure peaceful engagements with communities.

Scores of unemployed youths were severely disadvantaged in Mokopane when auditions for Limpopo TV had to be switched to Modimolle, as a direct result of the unrest.

The unrest also had a negative effect on the Waterberg leg of the planned inter-schools’ athletic meeting in Mokopane, which has been postponed indefinitely as a direct consequence of the
shutdown.

The auditions’ facilitators were not available to say if alternative arrangements would be made for all those who missed out on what is obviously a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

In Alma processes regarding recruitment for the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) have been blamed for the flare-up of violence, from which at least three properties were destroyed in
alleged acts of malicious damage to property.

According to Modimolle-Mookgophong Mayor Marlene van Staden, the burnt down properties were the house of ward councillor Grace Mashitisho, a municipal satellite office and a number of farms.

She cautioned that “violence, destruction and intimidation is never the answer.”

Limpopo police spokesperson, Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said Matlala Kailina Lechelele (38), Mmetsa Lizbeth Makua (23) and Johanna Dreca Moloantoa (24), were expected to appear again before the Modimolle Magistrate’s Court on Thursday 5 September.

— The BEAT