Community members march in Hartbeespoort Dam to address racial tensions

There was a heavy police presence in Hartbeespoort Dam as the Harties Shutdown Movement marched over racial tensions in the area.

At least 200 community members in Hartbeespoort Dam marched to hand over a memorandum to Crocodile Mine and Hartbeespoort Dam management.

The Brits Public Order Police and Hartbeespoort Dam police were in the area maintaining order.

The march follows allegations of racism in the area after two businesses belonging to black people were burnt down.

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Speculation was rife that they were burnt due to racial tensions, where white businesses are allegedly resistant to sharing the space with black business owners.

Hartbeespoort Dam arson cases condemned

The Black Management Forum (BMF) in the Madibeng sub-district called on the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to intervene to swell down the tensions.

Leader of the forum, Tsholofelo Papi Mothibi, also called out alleged incidents of gatekeeping by other business owners and not allowing business opportunities for others in prime areas of Hartbeespoort.

“We unequivocally condemn these acts of violence and gatekeeping; we call for immediate cessation of such behaviour,” said Mothibi.

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“The South African constitution clearly states that South Africa belongs to all its citizens, regardless of race or background. We urge the residents of Hartbeespoort to remember and uphold these constitutional values in our diversity.

“Violence and destruction are not only against the law but also against the principles of Ubuntu,” Mothibi said.

The organisation said it would work with local leaders and all stakeholders to foster unity and co-existence in Hartbeespoort.

It called on the SAHRC to facilitate a dialogue for all affected parties to voice their concerns.

99-year leases in Hartbeespoort Dam

Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo said while he could not confirm that black businesses were burned down by white business owners, racial tensions in the area were undeniable.

“The incident that has happened in Hartbeespoort must not be characterised in many ways. What has happened is criminality. When individuals choose to burn down people’s assets, it’s a criminal activity that must be dealt with decisively by law enforcement agencies,” Mahlobo told Newzroom Afrika.

“The incident that has happened is very unfortunate. We have interacted with a number of stakeholders, we took a decision that communities around these dams must participate in the economic activities.”

Mahlobo said when the democratic government inherited the Hartbeespoort infrastructure post-1994, it found 99-year leases that were given to “certain white privileged individuals on the basis of an apartheid system”.

Most of the dams in South Africa that were built during apartheid, including the Hartbeespoort Dam, belong to the state.

“We made the decision to cancel all the 99-year leases given to these people and instituted a new lease agreement. There is a policy that the areas around our dams and access to the dams can be opened under the guidance of the minister. This will promote issues of equity and transformation.

Court case

Some of the business owners have been fighting the department’s decision to terminate the 99-year leases, he said.

“They took us to court and lost, currently the matter is in the SCA (Supreme Court of Appeal).”

“Meanwhile, we have given them permission to occupy the facilities for not more than two years.

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“These are the main issues that we are dealing with in terms of trying to get our black people today to have social economic activities around those facilities.

“There are issues of racial tensions we should not deny,” Mahlobo said,

The department has roped in the SAHRC, which has called for contracts in the area to accommodate everyone.