MunicipalNewsNews

Permission granted for protest

The Thaba Chweu Civic Coalition has been granted permission to stage a peaceful protest march on August 16. According to the convener of the protest action, Mr Mandlakayise Mabelane the protest action will officially start at 14:00 at the taxi rank and proceed to the civic centre where a memorandum of demands will be delivered to the premier.

A previous march that was orchestrated in July was stopped from taking place when residents were refused a peaceful march through town. Angry residents who were left without water for almost two weeks could only show their anger towards poor service delivery by burning tires in the Mashishing park.
A previous march that was orchestrated in July was stopped from taking place when residents were refused a peaceful march through town. Angry residents who were left without water for almost two weeks could only show their anger towards poor service delivery by burning tires in the Mashishing park.

LYDENBURG – The Thaba Chweu Civic Coalition has been granted permission to stage a peaceful protest march on August 16.
According to the convener of the protest action, Mr Mandlakayise Mabelane the protest action will officially start at 14:00 at the taxi rank and proceed to the civic centre where a memorandum of demands will be delivered to the premier.
“Given the fact that we have the support of the majority of business people in town, we have decided to make sure that this action has minimal impact on business hence the choice of the time and date. Furthermore we have a high regard to the muslim community,
who will be at the mosque during midday and we felt that we need to respect them and that it is during the middle of the month when business is usually slow,” Mabelane added.
Accordingly, the organisers said that they have tried all that they could to consult widely, including communicating with residents from
as far as Sabie and Graskop.

Mabelane was quick to dispel rumours that the march will be attended by Julius Malema, the leader of the newly formed political party, the Economic Freedom Fighters.
“We have heard this rumour and I would like to point out clearly that our actions are not aligned to any political party formation. Ours is an unfussy civic action with no political motives,” Mabelane said.
A previous march that was orchestrated in July was stopped from taking place when residents were refused a peaceful march through
town. Angry residents who were left without water for almost two weeks could only show their anger towards poor service delivery by burning tires in the Mashishing park. In a statement released earlier by the coalition, it was indicated that they will not coerce residents to join the March but that they will instead convince the residents from all sectors to voluntarily join the protest.
Some of the demands include the following: • That the electricity levy for both business and residents be scrapped (businesses are now
charged a basic minimum of R760 while residents are charged R40 monthly before purchasing electricity) • The municipality must ensure that they stick to the national policy of providing everyone with free basic water (6kl) and electricity (50kw) • This must be extended to refuse removal and sanitation, like other municipalities. Other issues include that the budget be reviewed and the decision to charge business 8,5% on electricity be revoked, since this is not in-line with the recommendations of the National Electricity Regulator of South Africa (NERSA). That the local mines be made to account on their contribution to social investment and the empowerment of local small enterprises and that there must be an intervention to upgrade both the electricity and sewer networks given the prospects of economic growth in Thaba Chweu.
The memorandum will be handed to the premier of Mpumalanga, Mr David Mabuza, who was invited by the coalition.

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