Zille blamed for violence
2006-04-11 08:12
Cape Town - The South African National Civics Association (Sanco) have blamed mayor Helen Zille and the DA for the violence which left two dead and four seriously injured in Philippi late last week.
A Sanco-led march to Zille's office is planned on Tuesday to demand answers from the mayor.
Two people were killed and at least four seriously injured in Kosovo informal settlement on Thursday night when about 600 supporters of opposition candidates in last month's local election went door-to-door, attacking ANC members and burning shacks.
The opposition supporters were incensed that jobs created by a Social Development department initiative had been supposedly been given to non-residents by the Ward 33 ANC councillor Monwabisi Mbaliswano.
In the aftermath this week, the Philippi Sanco branch and Mbaliswano were blaming Zille and the DA for stirring up the residents after she met with the opposition candidate, Patrick Ngqu - whom the ANC believe to also be a DA member- on Sunday.
Mbaliswano said he had arranged a meeting with involved parties to take place later this week in order to seek a solution and was surprised at being excluded from Zille's discussions with Ngqu.
Sanco Philippi branch chairperson Jimmy Minisi said Zille was creating unrest in Kosovo while they were trying to solve the situation.
The march would be in protest against her involvement, said Minisi.
But Ngqu said Zille was "just passing by" Kosovo after she read about last week's violence in the weekend papers.
"Mbaliswano is destroying Kosovo," said Ngqu.
In the meantime, about 200 residents who fled Kosovo and were housed in the Samora Machel community hall after the violence on Thursday night, had to be moved to Naluxolo Primary school over the weekend to make way for planned wedding functions.
They had to move again when school started on Monday. - AMAC News