Officials targeted by protesters take leave
Sol Plaatje Municipality’s chief financial officer and manager, whom residents accuse of corruption, have taken leave amid violent protests in Kimberley.
Last month, the municipality introduced a R260 flat fee for “electricity availability” for all homes connected to the grid, in addition to the normal prepaid or monthly bills, which sparked a protest at the time. The fee was scrapped, but now residents are demanding heads roll in the cashstrapped municipality, claiming corruption is the cause of the harrowing conditions they live in.
The municipality has confirmed that municipal manager Goolam Akharwaray and chief financial officer Lydia Mahloko took voluntary leave from yesterday to allow investigations and engagement with the community to take place.
Officials said they were working on resolving the situation. The municipality planned to engage with role players and provide the findings to a special council, with feedback to follow.
Thousands of residents took to the streets of Kimberley on Thursday, bringing the provincial capital to a standstill. Another wave of protests was planned for yesterday. The municipality has called on the community to be part of the discussions and not to allow their legitimate grievances to be “delegitimised by acts of destruction and lawlessness”.
Eight people, including an eight-year-old and three elderly people, were rushed to hospital after police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades at the crowd marching to the municipal offices on Thursday.