Sparks fly in Bekkersdal – again
Bekkersdal residents went on the rampage due to an unwanted AN election campaign in the area.
Bekkersdal residents went on the rampage again on 13 March, prompting police to cordon off all entrances and exits in an effort to try and contain the violence.
Residents allegedly are up in arms because of an ANC door-to-door electioneering campaign which kicked off in the area on the day.
Tempers have been at boiling point in the area since last year when residents staged violent protests to highlight poor service delivery by the Westonaria Local Municipality.
Residents also claim that there is widespread corruption and nepotism within the municipality, calling for the resignation of Westonaria Executive Mayor Nonkoliso Tundzi and her entire management team.
The area has seen almost no improvement in 20 years of democracy and residents of the area lay the blame squarely at the feet of the ANC-led municipality.
Meanwhile, there is a significant police presence in the area.
How can they campain for our votes knowing exactly how do we feel about Nonkoliso and her counterparts. They told us that they don’t need our dirty votes. She nerver was there to address any service delivery issue that is still pending now they wants our supports. Please us with our Bekkersdal and votes. Go and ask for clean votes somewhere
Malaika Wa Azania wrote
The truth is that even if people disagreed with some economic policies that were adopted under his leadership, president Thabo Mbeki was a highly respected person. He was so respectable that even his worst detractors and biggest opposition could not escape from affording him dignity when differing with him. They fought with him on policy and ideological questions, because that was all they could differ with him about. When it came to issues of ethical conduct, integrity and discipline, president Mbeki could not be faulted.
He was not a saint, certainly, but he was not the kind of person you read dodgy stories about in tabloids. Newspapers would not have a field day writing headlines about his moral conduct as if talking about some kwaito star. They could write all sorts of things, but at all times, those things were political. If he was in the papers, it was because of something political, not something related to conduct lacking in integrity, or to unethical behaviour and such.
And this is one of the most important lessons we can draw from president Mbeki. A leader must be both respectable and respected. His conduct as a leader and as a person must command respect even from sections of society who don’t like him. Leading people is not about being liked or defended by loyalists at every turn. It’s about inspiring the kind of confidence that makes those you lead respect you even as they differ with you. A true leader does not need to be surrounded by permanent defenders of his conduct, he needs to be the kind of person who does not need to be defended for his conduct, because his conduct must be exemplary and above reproach.