Samaritans scramble for safety as threatening stampede spoils act of goodwill

A host of good Samaritans seemingly had to scramble for safety at the breaking point of a stampede for food by a large crowd which gathered for a donation at Greenside Primary School in Extension 44 in conjunction with a structure of the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in Limpopo on Sunday. The circumstances left scores of hopeful community members empty-handed that morning.
Polokwane Observer was about to enter the premises with the provincial convenor of the interim task team of the Sanco structure in Limpopo, Champ Sepuru when the crowd waiting to be allowed through the gates seemed to turn unruly.
Out of fear of injury or loss of human life, representatives of the business community who showed up with the donation were apparently advised to urgently leave the premises by the organiser of the programme and member of the interim provincial task team of the Sanco structure in Limpopo, Botha Mphahlele.

When speaking to him after the incident he said an estimated 6 000 to 7 000 persons from settlements within the greater Ward 8 had shown up around 09:00 that morning to collect food parcels, a donation that surrounding communities had been alerted about in advance for the past month now.
For about half an hour he had attempted to instil calm among the crowd that became anxious about the unfolding process and attempted to intervene to allow queues to be formed outside the gates to the premises for things to proceed orderly, Mphahlele explained. When he realised the crowd was about to break through the gates he hurriedly escorted the business representatives out of the school yard. Eventually the truck that initially contained the meat parcels had to drive out with food still on board.
Mphahlele expressed the opinion that the decision was taken to avoid trouble or loss of life. “In any stampede anything could happen.”
He confirmed that there were mothers accompanied by children and with babies on their backs in the group waiting for food at the gate that morning.
Sepuru afterwards said what happened earlier clearly showed there were many people who could not make ends meet and the turnout was a clear indication of the high rate of unemployment in the area. He blamed the government for neglecting the community and stressed that within the next two weeks the structure they represented would be meeting with the relevant government departments to take the concern further.

Story/photos: YOLANDE NEL
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