Misguided and senseless destruction
ALMOST two weeks ago, some of the residents in my hometown – Mahikeng – went on a rampage. They burned, looted, barricaded and destroyed some of the properties and infrastructure in the area.
We were made to believe that all these violent protests were about lack of service delivery in the area and it later emerged that some among them were also demanding that the current premier, Supra Mahumapelo, must fall.
It was widely reported in the media that Mahumapelo deserves to fall because of allegations about his involvement with the Gupta family and corruption activities in general.
Mahikeng is my hometown and I would like to see it developing into a much better city than it is now for the benefit of Mahikeng residents; and perhaps regain its former status of being known as the City of Goodwill.
Almost two weeks after the violent protests have settled, the town still remains filthy with no sign of service delivery. In the final analysis, the ANC is still comfortably in charge and control of the Mahikeng local council, Ngaka Modiri Molema district municipality and provincial government.
I hold no brief for the ANC at all levels, but the destruction of any public and/or private property, infrastructure, barricaded roads and looting sprees – on account of the ANC government that was elected and endorsed by the majority of Mahikeng residents at local, provincial and national level – makes no logical sense to me.
As a matter of fact, we all know that not all residents in Mahikeng voted for the ANC in the 2014 national provincial elections or the 2016 local government elections.
It therefore does not make sense why the rights of those who did not vote for the ANC should be involved in what clearly appears to be ANC factional battles in the province.
For those of us who have spent some considerable time assessing ANC failures at local, provincial and national level for the past 24 years, replacing Mahumapelo with another ANC premier or replacing the mayor of Mahikeng with another ANC mayor is not in the best interests of Mahikeng residents and the province – it is actually a vicious cycle that will benefit the new faction in power and their associates, not residents of Mahikeng and/or the province.
The residents of Mahikeng and North West province in general do not need a “bring us a Mcebisi Jonas” option as promoted by the EFF leader in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality – they (the ANC) need to be overthrown from power yesterday.
People have heard enough, they have seen enough for the past 24 years and all that is left is to legally and constitutionally overthrow the ANC.
The “Mcebisi Jonas” option is actually meant to perpetuate the ANC’s grip on power for the next 24 years and discourage our people from doing the right thing. It is neither sustainable nor progressive.
In my view, I think what is required is for the residents of Mahikeng to mobilise communities in and around Mahikeng for the toppling of the ANC in power through the ballot.
In the meantime, we would encourage residents of Mahikeng and North West province who are disgruntled with ANC to resign en masse from the ANC and join other political parties in the province that will prioritise the needs of the people rather than the needs of the political party leader and his/her associates.
For me, this is one of the most realistic ways to demonstrate our dissatisfaction with the ANC failure to deliver quality and decent service to our people. It does not make any sense at all to destroy, burn and damage the same properties and infrastructure that is going to be repaired and/or replaced with the same taxpayers’ money.
It is also important to ensure that at all times thugs and criminals within our communities are not given space to hijack genuine service delivery protests, irrespective of which political party is in power.
Lesego Sechaba Mogotsi, Azapo member, Tshwane