Zuma slams torching of 17 schools

UNPRECEDENTED: One of 17 schools torched in Limpopo. Picture: REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

UNPRECEDENTED: One of 17 schools torched in Limpopo. Picture: REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Published May 5, 2016

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Siyabonga Mkhwanazi

President Jacob Zuma has strongly condemned the torching of 17 schools in Vuwani, Limpopo, and warned the protesters involved that the law enforcement agencies would deal with them.

Zuma told Parliament yesterday, during his reply to the debate on the Presidency’s budget, that State Security Minister David Mahlobo was in the area to assess the situation. Mahlobo is also the acting police minister as the minister is out of the country.

“I wish to take this opportunity to condemn in the strongest terms the burning of 17 schools and other public facilities in the Vuwani area of Limpopo, reportedly over discontent regarding municipal demarcation,” Zuma said.

The country was shocked by the scale of violence, he said.

Zuma said it was suspected that ulterior motives could be behind the burning down of so many schools.

“We need to look into this because there are rumours that there is a motive. I hope the country is taking note of this,” said Zuma.

The elements behind the attacks need to be tracked down and brought to book.

He said the violence of Vuwani was different to other service delivery protests, where people would burn down one school or barricades and not 17 schools.

There was no justification in the torching of so many schools, depriving hundreds of children an opportunity to learn, he said.

The damage to the schools was estimated at hundreds of millions of rand.

Mahlobo visited the area yesterday to monitor the situation.

Zuma said the destruction of the schools was at an unprecedented scale.

The president also criticised the opposition for the violent conduct in the Chamber and chastising him on Nkandla matters and corruption charges, saying he would not respond to people who were not discussing his budget.

Opposition MPs were conspicuous by their absence after they resolved to boycott Zuma’s reply. Only the IFP attended the speech by Zuma.

In his closing remarks, he called on Parliament to get more firm with the EFF.

Zuma said he was always questioned on the continent about the conduct of the EFF.

Leaders on the continent are concerned about South Africa’s reputation as a constitutional democracy and shining light, which was tarnished because of the conduct of MPs from the opposition, he said.

Other leaders in Africa were worried that the conduct of some MPs was copied by their young leaders, he said, without mentioning EFF leader Julius Malema by name.

Zuma said he has chosen to deliberately ignore responding to the opposition’s clamour for him to step down because of the two court judgments.

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