VEREENIGING. – The importance of proper security was expressed in violent action last week. Security guards and employees at the Sedibeng District Municipality were thrown out of their offices by people claiming to be members of Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association, MKMVA.

The group then marched to shut down the ANC regional offices. They changed the keys and used their own locks after they had chased out officials. Thegroup demanded job security in the offices of the Emfuleni Local government (ELM) and the Sedibeng District Municipality (SDM). The alleged MKMVA members unsuccessfully tried to meet with the SDM speaker of the council and the ANC chief whip.

The enranged group feel that the regional executive committee of the ANC has betrayed its members. It is alleged that ahead of the regional conference, an MK member was promised a position in Public Safety in the mayoral committee but this never happened.

A reliable source reported that neither municipalities consider the role played by veterans during the struggle. The jobs promised to them simply never materialised. Jones Mokoena, acting regional chairperson of the MKMVA, argued that veterans sat without jobs while private security guards were randomly employed in government buildings.