Johannesburg - A group that identifies itself as the "Lephalale Unemployment Forum in Limpopo"' has camped outside the African National Congress (ANC) headquarters Luthuli House in the Johannesburg CBD overnight in an attempt to hand over a memorandum to the ruling party in which they demand the removal of their local mayor.
On Wednesday morning, spokesperson Ngakamone Seanego said they were demanding the removal of Lephalale Mayor Jack Moloko Maeko because rampant corruption had resulted in the lack of services in their area. They claimed the mayor and some of the councillors had reacted aggressively and threatened them.
Seanego, who is leading a group of about 20 people, said: "We are here for our safety, we have been running away for five days because we are being threatened by the Mayor and his councillors, pointing us with firearms in front of the police. We have no place to hide.
"We believe that as a community we have rights ... we want the mayor to step down."
By lunchtime, the group had dispersed.
Ngakamone said senior African National Congress (ANC) official Babylon Xeketwana had engaged with them when they arrived on Tuesday and he said he was in contact with the Limpopo party leadership. He said LUF members should not worry about their safety “because nothing will happen” to them.
National organiser for the Right to Know campaign, Bongani Xiso said they were supporting the LUF members. "We all deserve democracy, people should be not denied their rights because they were fighting with corruption."
ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe was not immediately available for comment.