SA chides Thabo Mbeki over protest

  1. Posted on Monday 27 July 2009 - 09:03
    Mernat
    Image of Mernat
    Mernat Mafirakurewa, AfricaNews reporter in Johannesburg, South Africa Photo: Elles van Gelder
    The violent service delivery protests currently gripping South Africa has been attributed to the era of former president, Thabo Mbeki. Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale said people are not against the current President but the municipalities aligned to the previous administration.
    president Mbeki supporters_South Africa_Elles van Gelder
    Sexwale noted: “There is a disconnect between us (leaders) and our people. This is quite clear. The people are not demonstrating against a three month-old government. They voted us into power three months ago. They are simply saying leaders in the past have done things wrong and they want to tell us.”

    He said people wanted the government to hear about the challenges they have had to face for a long time. Sexwale said he had been studying the situation in all areas where the violent protests had erupted. He said he visited Diepsloot informal settlement (in Gauteng) last week where it was made clear that people want jobs before houses.
    “I want to go back to Diepsloot and sleep over with my officials to get to understand the problem. There has been a disconnect between them and the leaders, which has left our people at the hands of some unscrupulous mayors and councillors.”

    Urban migration

    He said as was the case worldwide, many people had left rural areas and settled in places where there was a lack of basic services because they wanted to live in urban areas and look for work. Sexwale said the problem had been compounded by the global recession, when the economy needed 6% growth. “The global downturn has put more pressure on us.”

    Responding for the first time to the spate of service delivery protests in the country, President Jacob Zuma on Sunday acknowledged the right of people to take to the streets but also warned against violence, saying the government would enforce the law.

    “Our constitution allows our people the right of freedom of assembly and expression, and to protest where they feel they need to, but this must be done within the ambit of the law. There can be no justification for violence, looting and destruction of property or attacks on foreign nationals.... The law enforcement agencies will continue to act swiftly and to take action against all who break the law,” Zuma said at a meeting with the Confederation of Black Business Organizations in Johannesburg.

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