KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Mr Willies Mchunu, has hit out at the perpetrators of political violence in Estcourt, saying such ugly deeds undermined the spirit and wishes of former President Nelson Mandela for a peaceful coexistence.
Mchunu urged the community of the Greater uThukela District to honour the struggle icon, Madiba by stopping the killings of public representatives and to abandon political intolerance.
MEC Mchunu was addressing the community of Acaciaville in Ladysmith yesterday as he kicked off his Mandela month activities by donating blankets and food to poor families.
“You are not honouring Nelson Mandela’s spirit and philosophy if you continue killing one another. This district remains the only area experiencing political killings. This contradicts the values that Madiba stood for. Madiba is a man of peace and humanity,” said Mchunu.
“Many public representatives have been killed in this area and you should stand against this. As we are approaching elections next year, we are concerned because we have to send a strong monitoring team into this area,” said Mchunu. Many leaders of the ANC-IFP and NFP have been attacked and ambushed since the build-up to the local government elections in 2011.
Recently MEC Mchunu and the Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa, visited the area as part of Government’s intervention to restore peace and stability. In a bid to deal with this, the Provincial Government has formed the Multi-Party Political Oversight Committee, to intervene in the political hot-spots.
The Committee, made up of members of political parties, has developed a programme to work towards political tolerance and to create a climate of free political activity in KwaZulu-Natal.
This committee has been in Estcourt on more than three occasions. However and despite the current challenges in the area, Mchunu is adamant that political tolerance will be achieved in the area ahead of the 2014 electoral showdown.
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