MANKWENG – Gr. 12 learners from the Baphutheng, Mafolofolo and Leruleng secondary schools, who were supposed to start writing their final exams yesterday (Monday), were prevented from going to school and forced to join protesting residents.
Violence flared up again in Mankweng yesterday following last week’s unrest over poor service delivery by the Polokwane Municipality, and protests have now spread to adjoining areas such as Solomondale and Sebayeng.
Learners from Maphotho, Solomondale, and Sebayeng primary schools could also not attend school yesterday as angry residents had blocked the roads with burning tyres and rocks.
Last week, meeting the Mankweng community, Polokwane mayor Thembi Nkadimeng made a commitment to meet Mankweng residents every month to ensure the easy flow of information on progress made with regard to billing concerns, electrification and other service delivery issues.
Mankweng residents claimed nothing had been done for them since their first community meeting in August, and the mayor had made empty promises. They wanted their municipal bills be written off and to start new billing on a clean slate.
Nkadimeng recommitted to resolve service delivery concerns during the meeting. She reported to the community that 800 applications for indigent support had been received thus far and were being processed.
Over the past two weeks Mankweng was the scene of violent protest action by residents with burning tyres, rocks and other debris blocking the R71 to Tzaneen. This was also the case two months ago.
Municipal spokesperson, Tidimalo Chuene said the approval of the applications would bring much needed relief to low income households and pensioners.
“The municipality remains committed to addressing water billing and assessment rates concerns,” she said.
Chuene said the municipality had made progress since the last community meeting held on August 21. “The Development Bank of Southern Africa has approved a loan that will ensure we can roll out electrification in two financial years and not three as initially applied for. A provincial management representative of Eskom was invited to the meeting to emphasise the municipality’s commitment to the electrification process,” she said.
Yesterday Chuene was unable to gain entrance to Mankweng, as the roads were all blocked.
At the time of going to print, a memorandum had been handed over by the striking residents of Solomondale and Sebayeng to a representative of Nkadimeng, but the contents thereof was not yet known.
In the meantime, the DA approached education MEC Thembisile Nwedamutswu to urgently intervene in the unrest that had led to the closure of the schools in the area. “The DA has requested the MEC urgently arrange alternative plans to accommodate the matric learners who did not write their exams today,” DA Limpopo leader Jacques Smalle said.
Education spokesperson, Paena Galane said civil unrest was a matter for the police and the municipality. He said the MEC had spoken to community leaders, principals and chieftains and told them if they had problems and wished to protest, they should not disturb learners’ schooling. He said the department was deeply concerned about the matter.
