Lichtenburg
2 March 2007
The North West MEC for Developmental Local Government and Housing, Phenye
Vilakazi will on Sunday, 4 March 2007, address a community meeting in Boikhutso
township near Lichtenburg, in an endeavour to address the issues raised by the
community in a memorandum handed over to the council last week. The meeting
will also be attended by the Mayor of Ditsobotla, Itumeleng Lethoko, the
Executive Mayor of Central District Municipality, Themba Gwabeni, councillors
and senior managers from both provincial and local government.
Vilakazi's visit follows a community uprising in the area, which saw the
streets being barricaded, public amenities destroyed and power lines being
cut-off. Similar protest marches occurred in Zeerust, Schweizer-Reneke,
Khutsong, and Coligny and lately, Khutsong near Carletonville.
On Wednesday, Vilakazi who was accompanied by Lethoko, Gwabeni and the
acting police commissioner William Mpembe, went around Boikhutso to assess the
extent of the damages. Addressing a media briefing, Vilakazi said although the
community had the right to express their dissatisfaction about poor or
non-service delivery they should refrain from violent acts.
"What we do not condone as government, is when this protest marches are then
turned into acts of destruction and violence. We surely cannot have public
amenities and people's properties destroyed because people want to have their
demands responded to. We want to send a strong warning that the law enforcement
will take place to deal with all criminal acts," he warned.
The details of the community meeting are as follows:
Date: 4 March 2007
Time: 11h00
Venue: Boikhutso sportsground near Lichtenburg
For more details, please contact:
Mandla Mathebula
Cell: 083 282 6133
Dineo Thapelo
Cell: 072 218 2559
Issued by: Department of Local Government and Housing, North West Provincial
Government
2 March 2007
