Residents of Atteridgeville in Tshwane have lashed out at the ANC’S decision to appoint Thoko Didza as mayoral candidate for the city. A large protest turned violent in parts of Tshwane on 20 June.
On the first day of the protest 19 buses were set alight, which resulted in the City’s workers being withdrawn from several townships for their safety. Residents returned to the streets to continue protesting on 21 June, burning tires and looting local businesses.
Here is what residents have to say about the actions of protesting community members.
Marnus van der Berg: I’ve seen what is happening in Pretoria and think it is being handled completely wrong. I feel what they trying to achieve is the opposite of what they are doing.
Kristen van Zyl: I don’t believe what they doing is cool at all, they should approach things differently. Not by destroying the very communities that they stay in and maybe approach things in a more formal way.
Ebie Britz: I don’t think people go the extra mile anymore. If everyone works together as a team, respect each other’s property; our country would be better.
Andiswa Vamsimya: I don’t think how the people of Tshwane are handling the situation is the way to go. They are taking black people backwards, violence is not the way to handle things. The government must create a better platform for communities to voice their concerns.