Police open fire on peaceful protest
TWELVE people were arrested on charges of public violence after roads leading into Barkly West as well as the intersection between Mataleng and De Beershoogte were barricaded with burning tyres, tree branches and rocks early yesterday morning.
The police fired a stun grenade as well as rubber bullets into a crowd of people as they were peacefully standing on the pavement outside the Dikgatlong Municipality while being interviewed by this journalist.
Tyres were also set alight inside the Dikgatlong municipal offices as well as in the streets, where the municipality, shops and businesses remained closed for the day.
Commuters and pupils, who attend school and work in Kimberley, said that they were unable to pass through the barricades set up by protesters in the road from about 5am yesterday morning.
A group of residents who had gathered outside the municipal offices complained that the electricity in sections of De Beershoogte had been cut because their accounts were in arrears.
“The municipality informed us that we first had to pay a R3 500 reconnection fee plus R45. How are we supposed to buy food for the month while the majority of us are unemployed. They are targeting us because we were part of the protests.”
They added that they still had no answers to their service delivery issues.
Independent councillor Mently Bezuidenhout said that community members insisted on the resignation of the mayor and chief financial officer.
He also indicated that Barkly West Primary School was once again experiencing sewage problems, although pupils and teachers were at school.
Police spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Dimakatso Mooi, said that 12 people were arrested on charges of public violence after protesters closed the R31 road.
“Police had to use stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters. No injuries or damage to property have been reported as yet. Police will continue to monitor the situation.”
Spokesperson for the Department of Education, Geoffrey van der Merwe, stated that Barkly West Primary School was open and that he was not aware of any sewage problems.
“The MEC for Education, Martha Bartlett, is hoping to meet with the Dikgatlong mayor this week.”