Coligny must place trust in courts of law
Racial tensions have been escalating in Coligny after 16-yearold Matlhomola Mosweu was found dead and the finger of blame pointed at two farmers.
People protested against justice reserved for the powerful when the farmers were initially not arrested. We do not know if it was in response to media reports shining the spotlight on the issue, but two farmers were arrested last week.
The capture of Pieter Doorewaard and Phillip Schutte marshalled more residents to protest against what they see as a racially motivated crime.
The situation turned uglier on Monday when the two were granted bail and a property of a local farmer was torched and journalists were assaulted.
The statement by AfriForum that they would send private security to protect farmers in the face of angry crowds destroying property further escalated clashes between black and white residents. A counter statement by the leader of the EFF, Julius Malema, that the party would also send in reinforcements only served to heighten the tension and nudged the town even closer to a race war.
Coligny is a microcosm of life on small towns in South Africa where racial tensions often escalate into full scale protests due to lack of proper leadership on how to quell racial disharmony.
Ordinary people in such towns, especially black and poor, are left to fend for themselves and justice often seems elusive.
Lack of guidance results in misdirected anger leading to the destruction of property and threatening of lives.
Tensions often have to first result in injuries and deaths before the government steps in.
Even though authorities are on the back foot, the call by North West MEC for public safety Mpho Motlhabane for both white and black communities to accept the court’s decision to give the accused bail is correct. His attempts to call on leaders to sit around the table and resolve the issue is good counsel. His advice must remind us of the South Africa of triumph over adversity that we know and love despite the challenges we face. The people of Coligny must choose peace over war and trust the courts to deliver justice. It is the only way out to win over the naked bigotry still permeating their streets.