Man killed as Bekkersdal protests spread

241013. Residents in Bekkersdal near Westonaria march burning tyres during a service protest in the area. 913 Picture: Dumisani Sibeko.

241013. Residents in Bekkersdal near Westonaria march burning tyres during a service protest in the area. 913 Picture: Dumisani Sibeko.

Published Oct 25, 2013

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Johannesburg - Protests in Bekkersdal have spread to the neighbouring area of Simunye, with the violence claiming the life of a young man.

On Thursday, children were pulled out of class by protesters as tyres were burnt, shops looted and stones and rubber bullets exchanged between protesters and police.

“Don’t damage our infrastructure,” pleaded Thabiso Molefe, a community leader in Simunye. “We need our clinic, there are too many babies this side. And the schools, it’s almost time for exams.”

He said residents from Simunye were compelled to join the protest after Bekkersdal residents threatened to burn their homes.

Bekkersdal has been experiencing violent service delivery protests for the past three weeks. Residents want the ward councillors, as well as the mayor of Westonaria, removed.

Patience Manake, a matric pupil at TM Letlhake Senior School, said she had not been to school since last week. She is due to begin her final exams on Monday.

“I’ve only got one chance to pass matric; it comes only once,” she said.

Meanwhile, the family of Themba Khumalo, the 20-year-old who died on Wednesday night, said they would not stop supporting the community’s action.

A friend said Khumalo went out at around 10pm on Wednesday to use the toilet.

A group of four men and a woman allegedly called him by name, before shooting him three times and fleeing in a car.

Sipho Mabaso, a community leader, said they believed Khumalo’s murder was ordered by a ward councillor who wanted to stop the protests.

On Tuesday, there were accusations that a councillor had hit a protester in the head with a panga.

Mabaso said residents believed they should live in the richest township in the world, because of the close proximity to so many mines.

He said the community’s core complaint centred on maladministration.

Mabaso said that in 2007 R1.2 billion had been allocated to uplifting the area. This was intended to include R32 million for street lights and R25m for a stadium, neither of which had materialised.

He said the building of houses had also been delayed because the government said the area was on dolomite, but the community believed this was a stalling tactic.

Earlier this week, Local Government and Housing MEC Ntombi Mekgwe met community leaders.

More government officials were expected to address the community today.

On Thursday afternoon, the community hall was burning and the information centre, which had been set on fire earlier, was ablaze again.

Some residents with picks began removing the copper water pipes beneath the ground.

Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said several people had been arrested for public violence.

He said no one had been arrested for Khumalo’s murder.

The Star

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