Warning against “confusionpreneurs” in Lim who sustain protests for profit gain

The Provincial Government’s strategy aimed at reducing protest action in Limpopo, through an integrated and coordinated effort enhanced by communication might just curb occasional dissent about service delivery in the province.
Expressing his opinion on the matter in an interview with Polokwane Observer, Provincial Government spokesperson Phuti Seloba spoke of the necessity for a proactive approach to minimising protest action in pockets of discontent across Limpopo. He was of the opinion that with the strategy they might be winning the battle. For the past two years they had been trying to shape and panel beat the pro-active approach to service delivery problems. He further highlighted the fact that the Office of the Premier’s research team was continuously engaging with communities across the province on service delivery issues, which assisted in identifying problems and dealing with it in advance.
He stressed the need for public representatives having to render a service to people on the ground as well as being willing to assist communities with qualms to avoid them having to hire buses to travel to the Premier’s Office to take up matters with the highest office and prevent them from taking harmful protest action. This has become somewhat of a common sight at the entrance to the Premier’s Office, Mowaneng, which usually serves as last stop for the handing over of memoranda containing demands and grievances of differing nature on behalf of marching groupings.
“Why do people agree to occupy public offices if they wouldn’t be available to render a service to the people? Much as we are humbled when people come to us to complain, it shows they have confidence in us.”
According to him leaders at various levels had a civic duty to their people and didn’t necessarily have to wait for violence to erupt. He continued saying “It is our job to deal with, reduce and prevent it by ensuring people get information.”
Seloba stressed that communities should get first-hand information from their leaders and not the dealers and emphasised that office-bearers shouldn’t pass the buck on explaining issues to people, whether they were Parliamentarians or councillors. “Everybody is armed with legislation and its their business to internalise those issues.” Sometimes people just needed information on a matter and such strategy would help to have a more visible leadership on the ground, that was simultaneously heavily armed with information, he opined. Seloba raised the opinion that in most instances where the government wanted to solve the problems, so-called “confusionpreneurs” positioning themselves for profit in volatile situations and channelling energy towards deepening the crisis, wanted to sustain protest action because there was profit to be gained from confusion.
He expressed the view that opposition parties had to be constructive on issues relating to service delivery problems and that they all needed to work together where there were issues and hardships of people at stake. “Dwelling on point scoring doesn’t change things. We as government govern everybody, regardless of political interests.”
In conclusion Seloba predicted that service delivery protests would revolve around issues related to roads and water provision this year, and further envisaged an upward slant towards next year’s elections.

Story: YOLANDE NEL
>>observer.yolande@gmail.com