Cape Town - The African National Congress (ANC) in the Western Cape on Monday said it was demanding the immediate arrest of a farmer who allegedly shot and injured three people during a protest in the Little Karoo town of Uniondale.
“This is what happens when our people exercise their right to protest. We demand that the farmer be charged without any delay. We also urge the Human Rights Commission to investigate this matter because we can’t have a small town cover-up. We also demand that George Mayor Mike Naik get off his high horse and go to Uniondale to listen to the concerns of residents,” said ANC Western Cape secretary Faiez Jacobs in a statement.
According to an ANC ward councillor, Jacques Esau, residents were protesting on Monday about several issues, including the downgrading of their fire station, when the farmer allegedly fired his weapon at them.
“Residents had demanded that George’s DA Mayor, Mike Naik, be in Uniondale today (Monday) to collect a memorandum from them. He did not come and sent the Deputy Mayor Charlotte Clarke. We turned her away and told her to tell the mayor that we want to see him and not her,” said Esau, adding that a man was burnt to death when a fire destroyed at least seven structures in an informal settlement on Sunday.
“This is the third fatality in that camp. About two years ago, a father and his young daughter also burnt to death in another fire. We were protesting about this and other grievances when the farmer shot at our people. We know this farmer as a short-tempered man. He must be arrested and charged,” Esau said.