Engagement to preserve Vaal’s history held
The coordinator Ronjo Hailela said they are busy with compiling a list for an Inclusive Wall of Remembrance. Ronjo called on the families of all the survivors, former political prisoners, detainees and trialists to come forward and submit their names.
Emfuleni Local Municipality Executive Mayor Sipho Radebe recently convened with the Vaal Heritage Institution. The institution’s main focus is the preservation of the history of the Vaal.
The team made up of prominent activists from 1984 is in pursuit of research and archiving the Vaal’s history and also seeks to connect the past to the present by focusing on younger generations.
During the engagement, convenor Stompie Mokhele stated that they are an umbrella body with a footprint at grassroot level.
“We have 22 community-based organisations including representation from some political parties.”
The initiative is driven by the confide Vaal residents who are former political activists and served as leaders in government institutions after 1994. The Vaal Heritage Institution highlighted that getting municipal service delivery right will help to deal with inadequate development and contribute to meaningful social cohesion for uniting the diverse heritage groupings in the Vaal.
Discussing other issues, Mokhele admitted the political landscape changes, however, he urged Radebe to address the economic recovery for stability before focusing on other politics.
In response to the comments made, Radebe highlighted the approval of the indigent policy by the council. He stated that the ELM has registered more than 60 000 of the poorest families as beneficiaries of the government-subsidised municipal basic services, such as electricity and water.
Radebe stated that in comparison with the latest household census conducted, which shows Emfuleni unemployment at an alarming rate of 56%, the number of registered indigents is still very small.
During the meeting, it was announced that the Vaal Uprising 40th anniversary organising committee in partnership with Gauteng Provincial Legislature will commemorate the anniversary on November 28.
The coordinator Ronjo Hailela said they are busy with compiling a list for an Inclusive Wall of Remembrance. Ronjo called on the families of all the survivors, former political prisoners, detainees and trialists to come forward and submit their names.
