By BAKANG MOKOTO

North West Premier, Supra Mahumapelo said he is concern after some of his detractors are using service delivery protests to settle a political score. This came after protests erupted in Mahikeng and other areas across the province.

Foreign-owned shops were looted, while some properties were vandalized. Few cars torched during the service delivery protest duped #SupraMustFall. North West Provincial government spokesperson, Brian Setsambung toldSAFM that Mahumapelo is extremely concerned about the situation that is prevailing now.

“Mahumapelo characterizes this as a political campaign that is manifesting itself in a form of service delivery. There are also individuals who continue to use young people to resort to criminality. There are several stores that were looted today in Mahikeng and innocent people who wanted to go to work were stopped and intimidated.

“It is unfortunate seeing people turning these protests into criminal activities. There is an ongoing strike action by members of NEHAWU in the department of health. However, Mahumapelo has intervened by putting together a team led by a leader of Government Business, MEC Sello Lehari,” he said.

Setswambung added that the task team has met with NEHAWU representatives last week. He said that another meeting is scheduled to take a place next week.

“We want to ensure that all issues raised by NEHAWU are resolved so that our people can stop suffering. The suffering is the result of NEHAWU members not reporting for duty in various clinics and hospitals.

“As the provincial government, we are hopeful that the meeting between intervention team and NEHAWU will yield necessary results. The main objective is to ensure that our people do not continue to be stranded across all health-cares in the province. The premier has also put in place several engagements to address service delivery in municipalities across the province,” Setswambung said.

He said there are initiatives such as Agriculture, Culture and Tourism (ACT), Villages, Townships and Small Dorpies (VTSD), Reconciliation, Healing and Renewal (RHR), Setsokotsane and Saamtrek-saamwerk initiatives. Setswambung further said the province uses these as a way of connecting with the people.

“So, we call on protesters to refrain from using violence as that infringes other people’s rights. Mahumapelo exercises the open door policy and he has set up various platforms for people to engage with him. He is willing to take responsibility for anything that he feels that he is responsibly.

“However, at this stage, we are concern that people are using service delivery to settle political score,” he said.

North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Dr Mpho Motlhabane appeals to residents of Mahikeng and the surrounding communities to be on the lookout amid continuing violent protests.

Motlhabane said: “There is an element of criminality on the protests and residents are urged to remain calm, exercise caution and stay indoors as much as possible for their safety and security. We have observed that there are certain individuals who are taking advantage of the current situation to commit crime.

“We are appealing to communities to stay away from these illegal protests to avoid finding themselves on the wrong side of the law. While citizens do have the right to protest, that must be done peacefully, within the framework of the law and not to loot from shops as well as damaging of private properties.”

The African National Congress (ANC) in Bokone Bophirima said is concerned aboutthe sporadic protests that started in Mahikeng and have escalated into lawlessness and violence.

the sporadic protests that started in Mahikeng and have escalated into lawlessness and violence.

ANC acting Provincial secretary, Sussana Dantjie said: “While there are often genuine service delivery protests, we as the ANCregard these latest acts of violence in Mahikeng as political opportunism disguised as community outrage. This is evident in the main call of those
who have been quoted in the media attacking ANC Provincial Chairperson, Supra Mahumapelo, who is also Premier of our province, using untested
allegations of corruption.

“They are continuing on the same trajectory of the #SupraMustFall campaign started by those who once called themselves the North West Business Forum and have now changed to their name to the Revolutionary Council. This is the same call that is now being used by

some opposition parties in the province.”

taungdailynews@gmail.com