Vuwani brought to standstill as residents promise 'final push'

6 February 2017

Vuwani – Schooling and other services in Vuwani have been brought to a standstill by residents in the township and neighbouring villages who are boycotting services from the new municipality.

The Pro-Makhado Task Team, a group advocating for the Vuwani area to be disassociated from the new Limpopo municipality in the Vhembe district, has mustered its supporters to take to the streets.

This followed a meeting on Friday between government's inter-ministerial team and Vuwani community leaders, which ended without the parties coming to an agreement.

A pamphlet inviting residents to a "final push" mass meeting on Monday to discuss the government's bid to include Vuwani in the new municipality was distributed at the weekend in the village's streets and at tuck shops.

Violent protests

The invitation said residents will march to the municipality's satellite offices and demand the keys to "our municipality", a reference to Makhado.

Residents have long been fighting the Municipal Demarcation Board's (MDB) decision to incorporate them into the new municipality.

The task team's spokesperson, Nsovo Sambo, repeatedly likened the new arrangement to rape.

The decision by the government and the MDB sparked violent protests that saw more than 26 schools burnt last year as residents vented their anger and frustration on the streets.

Residents also boycotted the local government elections in August.

In December, the provincial government announced that the process to address the concerns of the residents of Vuwani was underway.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.