Rampaging youths leave a trail of destruction

BURGERSFORT – Horrible scenes were seen at Diphale’s Seuwe Village when angry youths went on a rampage, torching four houses, two cars and looting a tuck shop owned by Somalis. The incidents took place on Sunday afternoon.Among the houses that were destroyed was that of local chief, Kgoshi Bethuel Mohlala. The residents also set alight their own tribal offices.According to the Limpopo SAPS spokesman, Lt Col Moatshe Ngoepe, no one was injured or killed”We are still investigating cases of theft, arson and malicious damage to property. We are appealing to communities not to take the law into their own hands and to let the police do their investigations undisturbed.”The incident occurred a week after a local woman was set alight in her bakkie in the same village. A double-storey house and several cars were also torched a fortnight ago.Steelburger/Lydenburg News understands that the local residents are dissatisfied with their community leaders, who are alleged to be benefiting from the Makgomo Chrome Plant, which is earmarked to develop the village.”The plant is 50 per cent owned by the communities, 30 per cent by Implats, and 20 per cent by Marula Platinum. It was supposed to improve the socio-economic development status of the community, through distribution of profits (from the processing of chrome) to the community, and to also empower the community through employment and training at the chrome plant,” said one of the community members.The community alleged that only the Magoshi, the management of the plant, and their cronies benefit from the plant.The Limpopo SAPS indicated that they will continue monitoring the situation in the troubled village.