Thohoyandou – Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Des van Rooyen says he is hopeful teaching and learning will resume in the communities of Vuwani and the surrounding areas on Monday.
“As government we are saying to the communities of Vuwani that the shut-down must end [and] schools must open and normality should be restored.
“We are appealing to residents to support and work with government in order to bring [about] normality and ensure that teaching and learning resumes on Monday,” he said, at a media networking session at the Vhembe District Municipality’s council chambers in Thohoyandou on Friday night.
He added that government will continue to work with stakeholders until the situation is back to normal.
Protesting residents in the area took to the streets recently, torching more than 20 schools and bringing learning to a halt. They want the Municipal Demarcation Board to reverse its decision to incorporate Vuwani into a new municipality.
Minister Van Rooyen is heading the Inter-Ministerial Task Team to resolve the challenges being experienced in Vuwani.
The task team includes Minister Van Rooyen, Minister of State Security, Deputy Minister of Police and is supported by the Basic Education and Communications Ministers, working with the Premier of Limpopo and MECs, as well as leadership of the Vhembe District Municipality.
On Friday the Inter-Ministerial Task Team held a day-long meeting at the Mulenzhe Tribal Council outside Thohoyandou with various stakeholders in the Vhembe District as part of the ongoing programme by government to solve the challenges in Vuwani through dialogue.
The Minister, speaking at the networking session on Friday night, welcomed the efforts of King of the Vhavenda, Khosikhulu Mphephu, to bring an end to the wave of protests.
Also speaking on Friday night, Communications Minister Faith Muthambi said the session was an opportunity for government and the media to interact with the view of sharing information which is critical to their reporting.
“As government, we strongly believe that one way of finding a lasting solution to this challenge is to work closely with the media because our view is that the media can assist us in terms of promoting peace,” she said.
A fortnight ago, Minister Muthambi hosted a successful football tournament in the Vhembe District aimed at fostering social cohesion and nation building.
Prayer Day
The violent protests prompted the Vhembe Pastors Forum to organise a prayer session for peace and nation building on Saturday.
The prayer session, attended by the Inter-Ministerial Task Team and leaders from the Limpopo Provincial Government and Vhembe District, was held at a local congregation at Mashau village. - SAnews.gov.za
