‘Community will decide if protests continue’

THE LEADERS of last week’s city-wide shutdown march will take their cue from the community on whether the protests will continue or not.

While Wanya Tsotsi leaders Pantsi Obusitse and Tumelo Mosikare waited patiently outside the Northern Cape High Court yesterday for the interdict against them to be withdrawn, they indicated that it was the community who would have the final say.

Obusitse said that the

Sol Plaatje executive mayor, Mangaliso Matika, had informed them yesterday that he would instruct his legal representatives to withdraw the interdict against them, or would personally do so himself.

Obusitse said the withdrawal of the interdict would enable them to communicate more effectively with community members.

“We were not able to communicate with community members as we were prevented, in terms of the interdict, from doing so.

“We are pleased that the ANC has taken the decision to suspend the CFO and the municipal manager. We will have to convey that message forward to the communities. We were never acting in our personal capacities but have always represented the community. If the interdict is withdrawn then we can convey that message to the people.”

He said they could now get direction on the way forward from the communities involved in the protest action.

“We have always searched for an amicable solution. We cannot predict whether the community will stop with the protest action or not. We are merely acting on behalf of the community. We do, however, need to calm the situation down and rebuild the city. Schools are reopening and people also need to return to work.

“We need the interdict to be withdrawn to move forward and so that we can advise the community on the best way to do so.”

Obusitse said the community would have the final decision on whether Matika needed to leave office.

“We never called for the resignation of the mayor, the community did. This matter was turned into a political issue. We were sent out by the community to meet with the leaders. We cannot at this point say what the stance of the community will be in that regard.”