Johannesburg - The ANC in North West on Thursday welcomed government intervention to restore peace and stability in the protest-plagued Boitumelong and Coverdale townships.
African national Congress North West provincial secretary Dakota Legoete said stability was restored following a visit by local government and traditional affairs MEC Manketsi Tlhape.
“To address the community concerns, government will appoint an audit firm to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration levelled by the community and a report will be presented within six weeks to the community...” Legoete said in a statement.
Last week, protests started in Boitumelong near Bloemhof.
On Monday, residents blocked the N12 and set alight a municipal office, community hall, houses belonging to the mayor, two councillors and two officials, and several businesses.
By Tuesday, the protest had spilled over to Coverdale in Christiana where a community hall was torched.
Residents were demanding the removal of their entire municipal council and to fall under a different municipality.
Legoete said the party had noted the call by the communities that the provincial government should invoke the provisions of section 139 (1) C of the Constitution.
“As the ANC, we agree with government assessment that currently there are no reasons to believe that the municipality is at the verge of collapse,” he said.
“We also agree with government that the process to demarcate Lekwa-Teemane local municipality under Dr Kenneth Kaunda district municipality requires a formal process to be handled by the Municipal Demarcation Board.”
Sapa