BY LESEDI SETLHODI

PUDIMOE- THE residents of Pudimoe and other neighbourhoods were up in arms on Friday after they took their grievances to the streets. The residents barricaded the national road (N18) between Taung and Vryburg at around 06:00am.

They were picketing over a community hall that was supposed to be built at Matlhako 1, but according to some of the residents their ward councillor did not fulfil her promises.

Olebogeng Lencwe said the community barricaded the road with burning tyres and tree branches after there was a disagreement between them and the ward councillor.

“The community was gatvol after the ward councillor Deliwe Zethi promised them to build a community hall at a certain stand, but as we speak now the stand was trimmed into a smaller space” Olebogeng Lencwe said.

Another concerned resident said the councillor does not work together with them. “We want the ward councillor to step down as there are many issues that need her full attention, but she does not want to have none of that. The stand was there long time ago, but she let people built on that stand and now it is too small for a community hall to be built on” Modisaotsile Lebitse said.

More than ten people were apprehended by police for public violence including the chairperson of Young Communist League, Thapelo Sambatha-Galeboe.

North West police spokeperson sergeant Kelebogile Moleko said the police cleared the N18 road and the situation was back to normal.

“We can confirm that a 25 year-old man was arrested for public violence at Pudimoe location, near Taung after community members embarked on illegal protests. Police cleared the road and situation is calm so far” Moleko said.

The picketing took place on Friday and it is alleged that Greater Taung Municipal Mayor Kaone Lobelo and Speaker Deliwe Zethi were engaged with community members in a meeting on Thursday to find common ground regarding the stand allocated for a new community hall to be built in the area.

The meeting was futile as that precipitated into picketing and there community vowed not to back-off on their quest to dethrone their ward councillor from her position.

-TDN

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