By More Matshediso
Pretoria - Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Pravin Gordhan on Friday said a community meeting will be held in Malamulele, Limpopo, to stabilise the community unrest in the area.
He said the community meeting, scheduled for Sunday, was called by the Malamulele Task Team and that government representatives have been invited to attend.
Minister Gordhan said the objective of the community meeting is to see how government, the Task Team and the community can contribute to normalising the situation in the community, and work together in ensuring that service delivery and other local government issues work effectively for the benefit of the community.
Today, the Minister and the Malamulele Task Team met to share views on the events that have been unfolding in the Thulamela Local Municipality, particularly the Malamulele area.
Malamulele has seen violent protests over the last few days, which has brought the township to a standstill. Learners are being barred from attending school and roads are being monitored by residents, which also affects business in the area.
Protesters reportedly want a municipality separate from Thulamela.
Minister Gordhan said government is concerned about community protests that have been unfolding in the past days.
“We believe that we need to work together with the Task Team and local community in order to stabilise the situation in Malamulele area.
“We have put a process in motion to ensure that we look into various options to overcome the perceived difficulties that people in the community are expressing,” the Minister said.
Minister Gordhan said a lot of issues that had possibly led to the violent protests in Malamulele can be dealt with collaboratively, and that Cogta has its own report and plans for the area.
A few Ministers and MECs from Limpopo formed part of the ministerial meeting on Friday. Police Minister Nathi Nhleko said there were about 200 police officials mandated to monitor the situation in the area.
Role of Municipal Demarcation Board
He said the Municipal Demarcation Board has notified him that it will have its report ready by 31 January on the future of Malamulele and Thumamela Local Municipality.
He said the Municipality Demarcation Board will present its findings on 31 January.
“We have the Municipal Demarcation Act in South Africa that states very clearly that it is the Municipal Demarcation Board which has the sole authority to determine or re-determine the boundaries of municipalities in South Africa,” Minister Gordhan said.
He said various task teams representing both government and Malamulele have been established and will work together, even after the release of the Municipal Demarcation Board report, in the interest of the community and the country as a whole.
Meanwhile, Acting President Edna Molewa (Minister of Environmental Affairs) is keeping President Jacob Zuma briefed about the situation in Malamulele. The President is at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
“The President has instructed the Security Cluster in Cabinet as well as the provincial and local government leadership in Gauteng and Limpopo work together to bring the situation under control and work towards restoring normalcy,” said the Presidency. - SAnews.gov.za
