Vuwani shutdown to continue on Election Day
Some Vuwani residents are determined not to take part in the upcoming Local Government Election.
Community leader Alex Ndou says residents initially decided to shut down the area until after Election Day next week.
The community embarked on protests in May this year refusing to be part of a new municipality with Malamulele.
This protest resulted in over twenty schools being destroyed, leaving thousands of learners destitute.
Ndou says the shutdown, which commenced on 1 May, will continue until 4 August.
"We are not ready to participate in any activities - that includes the new entity. I think this time around we are not going to vote under the new municipality as we have already agreed," Ndou said.
The Department of Education on Monday confirmed that schools would be fully operational on 4 August.
Ndou says the learners in the area are in the current situation because government refused to listen to the community.
"We don't have access to do whatever we think is best for us and the children as well. The government said they don't want to listen to us. We think we deserve to be in this position," Ndou said.