It was not clear as to why some members of the community were protesting, but later a memorandum was received that was emailed to Witbank News.
It was also reported that two buses were burned and roads were blocked off in some parts of KwaGuqa and KwaGuqa Extensions.
In some parts it stated that: “Police have been shooting protesters with rubber bullets again for doing a legal protest where the Mpumalanga office of the Premier has instructed that to stop the protesters to submit a memorandum. This memorandum exposes the right to freedom of speech and rights of the community in exposing the corruption of the premier and his government officials. We will soon be voting and if the ANC is using their government justice powers to exploit the community form protesting and voicing their concerns then we are in a capitalist province led by mafias and dictators. Why always when protesters are trying to do a peaceful strike do the police turn that strike to a violent one by arresting the leaders of the community; then automatically they know the community will be fueled and get mad, so they will get a chance to use their bullets or rubber ones and enjoy the shooting instructed by the greedy government officials protecting their businesses. Emalahleni is under attack and enough is enough.”
The memorandum said that one of the protesters was arrested for using a haler to allow the community to gather for the memorandum to be submitted. It is stated that the Mpumalanga government violated a section of the constitution and that means there is no freedom of speech, but exploitation of powers by the so called government officials
The memorandum stated that they are fighting for a radical economic transformation change and wants to reclaim the position of being the economic hub of Mpumalanga.
“We say No to the third term and say Yes to new leadership for the premier office of Mpumalanga as the community of eMalahleni. Our local municipality must be engaged forcefully in any crucial and sensitive matters of the city which are always redirected to Nelspruit for final decisions. This is affecting the local community of eMalahleni without involving the appointed leadership and stakeholders of the city. We want free and transparent business trading without being compromised by the Premier in subjecting the Mining Houses to stop supporting and communicating with the registered Chambers and social civil organisations representing the community and businesses at large. CEO’s of the private sectors must stop having eMalahleni economic transformation talks with the premier without the involvement of the key stakeholders that are fully recognised by businesses and community.
We demand effective and radical employment opportunities that will enable young people, the disabled and black women of eMalahleni to be part and parcel of the economic justice in this city of coal without any difficulties and exploitations from the Premier and his local paid servants to serve and protect his wealth and business in eMalahleni.
We demand an audit for the new bonded and RDP houses at Klarinet under the contract worth more than 4 billion, headed by the CEO of the Premier Mr Themba Sgudla. The issue of the land for the projects is a huge question. In the meantime the CEO of eMalahleni is getting wealthier and wealthier with the influence of the premier office. We say no to the tendency of frustrating our local businesses because they are not financial contributors of the Premier’s office and his plot for kickbacks. The local businesses are always compromised because they fail to bow down to the unfair economic Premier systems and his plot of contribution to wealth syndrome. We want a free eMalahleni from political dictatorship and radical looting from the neighbouring cities and countries.
The outsiders have no skill transformation, economic stability or future sustainability for the next generation.
We demand clear and transparent skills development coming from the private and public sectors stationed in eMalahleni. We demand fair economic procurement opportunities and relevant decision making from Eskom offices that were taken to Megawatt Park. We demand these offices to be brought back to eMalahleni Eskom Park and Smuts Avenue office, since we are the community affected by this pollution and the benefits of quick decision making and mutual benefit must be within the polluted city caused by the mining houses and power stations that are killing a number of people each year. We want the Mining houses of eMalahlani to start recognizing the community by learning from the Royal Bafokeng platinum development systems meaning transparent social development systems, enterprise development systems and labour development systems that will transform this city to a eMalahleni renaissance.
We demand the resolutions taken from eMalahleni Local Municipality LED Summit to be adopted and put in place as soon as possible within a short space of time meaning before the end of July 2015. We demand better roads and well improved infrastructures in eMalahleni in bettering our city of coal and attracting investors for our local business and social programmes. We say No to the unfair distribution of RDP houses that are looted from the poor by the so-called greedy government officials. We demand the Premier to stop looking at his business interest and attend to such counsel matters that are affecting the community especially the Kwaguqa hostel issue. It’s bad because back yard dwellers are affected by this situation.
We demand the national government to look at the issue of Eskom Kusile construction project that is dramatically failing the people of eMalahleni and neighbouring towns.
The situation is bad in such a way that the car of a community activist in Ogies was burned to ashes. The community activist was challenging the corruption and the unfair looting of the previous executive membership and that means his life is at risk. We want the National government to come up with a plan that will rescue the local Steel firms situated in eMalahleni to recreate jobs and business opportunities for the local community. Highveld Steel must be prioritised and protected. The white owned oil industries from Ferobank are running away with lots of SMME development and skills transformation responsibilities so we demand the DOE to look at this matter as soon as possible.
We demand DMR to allocate an SMME audit of Prospecting and coal mining permits that are only given to established companies and the business people outside eMalahleni at large. We want to know how many mining permits are granted to the people of eMalahleni not freelancers or visitors. We also say No to the granting of prospecting rights randomly like there is no tomorrow for the future generation. We want the commodities saved for the future generation because we don’t want to end up with a ghost City.
We demand eMalahleni radical transformation that is free from government officials that are greedy and stopping any business operations that are benefiting the officials. We say No to the justice systems that are failing the community when it comes to prosecuting drug lords of this city. We demand the National Government to look at this matter as soon as possible,” reads part of the memorandum.
The police have confirmed that eight people have been arrested for public violence.
