Anger after Zuma fails to address residents

THE shutdown of services is set to continue in Vuwani in Limpopo after the much-anticipated announcement of a way forward by President Jacob Zuma did not materialise yesterday.

Zuma, who had arrived in a helicopter, left after a briefing session with leaders of the Pro-Makhado Task Team, the Inter-Ministerial Task Team, premier Stanley Mathabatha and Venda king Tony Mphephu Ramabulana.

He could not make it to the Nandoni sports ground, where multitudes had gathered in a huge marquee to hear him speak.

A highly placed source said the president was advised not to go and address the masses on the basis that it would not be safe for him.

But the crowd, that had been waiting in anticipation, would not allow anyone else to speak, and instead disrupted the proceedings.

Not even Ramabulana could calm them as they shouted “Zuma, Zuma, Zuma”.

The king had told the gathering that major pronouncements would be made with regards to residents’ demands that Vuwani should not to be incorporated into the new Lim345 municipality, which also includes Malamulele.

The area has been volatile for some time as residents were opposed to the incorporation of Vuwani into the new municipality by the Municipal Demarcation Board.

More than 20 schools have been burnt down since violence started last year.

Forty-one people were arrested for public violence and malicious damage to property, but they have all since been released and charges against them dropped.

Zuma had met with the king on Tuesday and was scheduled to brief the residents about the decisions the government had taken to defuse tensions in the area.