MEC condemns violent protests in North West

North West community safety and transport management MEC Gaoage Molapisi has strongly condemned the violent action of protesters in Potchefstroom and Ventersdorp on Friday.

This follows the burning of a municipal building and the blocking of roads with burning tyres and other objects by protesters opposing the merger of the Tlokwe local municipality and the Ventersdorp local municipality.

Molapisi said in a statement destroying public and private property was criminal and those found responsible would be jailed.

“South Africa is a democratic country where people have rights, and these rights are enshrined in the Constitution. People have the right to gather and march, but their rights are not above any other rights.”

There was no right in the Constitution that granted anyone permission to burn and destroy essential amenities, such as schools, libraries, police stations, or government buildings.

“They cannot pick and chose which rights suite them. If you transgress the Constitution you must face the full might of the law,” said Molapisi.

He said when the protesters had applied for the march, they had said it was going to be a peaceful march and the leaders would control the march, assisted by marshals, and “more often that does not become the case”.

What happened in Potchefstroom and Ventersdorp was a case in point.

“As government we are not going to fold our arms and say it is happening. We are going to apply the law and police must do their work without exception and those responsible must be arrested and prosecuted,” he said.

Many times the suspects were granted free bail or released on warning and this did not deter them from repeating the crime.

“All these acts of hooliganism and crime must be investigated; our courts must set an example. Those who have burned the municipal building in Ventersdorp are in serious trouble as they should be charged with arson and the charge for arson is a serious one.

“Communities and councillors must assist the police with giving information because they know and have seen the perpetrators. We must all condemn these barbaric acts because they derail progress and development. I want to see people arrested and these must not take long,” Molapisi said.

He further appealed to the general public not to engage in unlawful acts.

Members of the public experiencing any act of criminality were advised to contact the department’s call centre on 0800-204-992.