Violent protests must stop – organisation to Mohlakeng
The organisation Movement Regeneration Movement condemns violence used in protests.
Residents of Mohlakeng were told to stop using violence when they protest against the lack of service delivery.
This was said during a campaign spearheaded by the Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) at Mohlakeng Community Hall earlier on Wednesday morning (24 October).
The campaign, which drew residents in large numbers, was in response to several protests that were seen in the area in the past months in which public properties were vandalised.
Thabiso Malemela, coordinator of the MRM, said the educational session also taught residents alternative ways of raising grievances without using violence.
“Especially the clinics, because they are still going to need them. During the session we also intend to find out why people are so angry. We engage with them, to find out why they are destroying these essential facilities,” Thabiso said.
She said the organisation has discovered that in many issues, there was unhappiness about some governmental departments
“After engaging with the communities, we will take the report and send it to the relevant departments. The next time we visit, we will come with representatives of several departments so that they can listen directly to the grievances of the people.
“We want them to engage directly with people to find out why they have problems that compel them to protest.”
Thabiso said generally when people protest, it would be because they are already angry, and it is unfortunate that it is their very own public facilities that bear the brunt.
“Once they are angry, they wonder why they should care for these properties, whilst they believe that the government is not doing anything for them. There are a lot of things that are happening that are continuously making people unhappy, but as the MRM, we care for those people and want to see them getting what they want in their communities,” she said.
However, Thabiso said it is very important that even when they are angry, they should follow the right procedures when they protest. She said people can protest and let their issues be heard, but the first thing to stop is the violence.
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