Mpuma takes over municipality
2009-06-30 22:04
Johannesburg - The Mkhondo local municipality in Mpumalanga will be put under provincial administration after service delivery protests, the province said on Tuesday.
"As of today [Tuesday] the department will assume full responsibility of the municipality. The administrator will begin his work immediately," said Simphiwe Kunene, spokesperson for the department of co-operative governance and traditional affairs.
"The department would like to request all stakeholders to fully support the administrator."
The administrator will be appointed by the department's MEC, Norman Mokoena. The new administrator will also be tasked with investigating allegations made by the community which have led to protests.
Residents angry at councillors
The violent protests in and around the Thandukukhanya township in Piet Retief started on Sunday, with residents accusing local councillors of financial mismanagement.
"Some of these allegations include misappropriation of funds, lack of service delivery, nepotism, poor implementation of the Integrated Development Plan and lack of proper consultation in terms of resource distribution and infrastructure," said Kunene.
"The above-mentioned allegations indicate a series of critical challenges facing the municipality, which have affected its ability to function properly," he said.
Two protesters were shot dead and several properties, including the library, clinic and the mayor's house, were set alight in the protests.
Clinic, library burnt down
Provincial police spokesperson Superintendent Abie Khoabane said the protest action started on Sunday after about 3 000 members of the community gathered at the local stadium for a meeting with the government.
The meeting was meant to discuss claims of financial mismanagement in the Mkhondo municipality but "half of the group left the stadium before the meeting ended and started barricading the street, burning tyres and throwing objects [at] moving vehicles", said Khoabane.
"Five shops were looted, the community hall, the community clinic and the library were also burnt down.
"On Monday, the protesters went ahead and burnt down four houses belonging to the town mayor... and another house belonging to a traffic official.
"Two people were fatally wounded during this violent protest."
Seven people were arrested for public violence on Sunday.
The protesters also burnt two municipal trucks, a sedan vehicle and a bakkie.
Mokoena, Kunene said, offered his condolences to those who had been victimised by the violence.
"MEC Mokoena would also like to convey his sincerest condolences to the families, relatives and friends of those who lost their lives and wishes a speedy recovery to those who were injured during the unrest.
The SABC reported that the situation was calm on Tuesday afternoon.
- SAPA