Service delivery protests

[Dave A]

This is madness.

The library in Balfour's Siyathemba township went up in flames on Tuesday afternoon during a protest that appears to have shifted from labour recruitment demands to an insistence the local mayor resign.

"They are burning the library down," said police spokesperson Sergeant Sam Tshabalala on the third day of violence in the Mpumalanga township.

Earlier in the day, people had made pyres of poles that Eskom had planned to use in the area. On the previous two days, foreigners' shops were looted and a municipal office burnt down.

Mpumalanga's minister of education, Reginah Mhaule, pleaded with local residents to allow schooling to continue unhindered. Pupils were preparing to rewrite some of their matric exams. The province got one of the lowest matric pass rates.
full story from M&G here

Seriously, can these really be called service delivery protests?

What do these people really want?
And is burning down the infrastructure and disrupting education the way to achieve it?

[BigRed]

It all doesnt make sense. Their efforts in destroying be it government property and even books possibly does show their state of angriness where no-one really gives a damn about them and their frustrations. Now they are being heard....

Will it help, thats another question

[Dave A]

I think it's time government called a spade a spade - these are riots, surely!

I'm sure gov doesn't like the idea, and I sure as heck don't, but that's what they are.

Protests means there's still some element of control, organisation and rationale. There really doesn't seem to be any of that with this lot.

[I Robot]

S Manana on lawful and peaceful protests

Manana calls for lawful and peaceful protests

18 March 2010

Mpumalanga Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Sibongile Manana have called for lawful and peaceful protests to avoid any unnecessary unrest that impacts negatively on government, business and the community.

Speaking at the Safety and Security Summit on Service Delivery Unrest held at Badplaas today, Thursday, 18 March 2010, Manana said the unlawful protests lead to instability and police being forced to apply force.

Manana said government supported people’s rights to democratically express views on issues they felt strongly about; however they should not cause unnecessary disruption to community.

“Whilst he Constitution grant people the right to lawful demonstration, this right comes with limitations, for instance for the prevention of disorder or crime or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others,” said Manana.

She said in some cases South African Police Service (SAPS) might fight it necessary to place limitations if there is a reasonable belief that the routs applied for may result in serious public disorder, serious damage to property and serious disruptions to the lives of the community.

The MEC added that government had an obligation to prevent crime, disorder, illegal protests.

“When people decide to engage or embark on a protest, they are expected to fall the legal process. The key issue is to comply with the provisions of the Gatherings Act, cooperate with the police,” she said.

She explained that some community members complained that some police officers were responsible for the unrest in the communities as they were alleged to be colluding with the so-called “concerned groups”.

“Police officers are expected to conduct themselves in a particular manner as they strive to maintain peace and stability during the protests time. The code of conduct for the police emphasises professional conduct at all times,” she said.

She urged the intelligence community to assist government in being pro-active in gathering information. This would assist law enforcement agencies to plan and prepare for any eventuality.

Welcoming guests, Albert Luthuli Executive Mayor Sinana Dlamini said according to the local government report, the contributing factors fuelling protests were service delivery backlogs on water, housing and electricity.

It also cited poor communication and accountability relationships with communities and mal-administration.

The summit is as a result of worst-hitting protests that rocked Mpumalanga which saw property destroyed, people stopped from going to work, learners not going to schools and human life lost.

More...

[Butch Hannan]

Dave,

I have written four poems which you can view on my website. They are:-

Black Man Please Explain To Me
Teacher Unteach Me
Service Delivery
We Sing We Dance We Kill,

These are basically what I would call Protest Poems or at least that is what one of the experts called them.
Like you I am greatly troubled by this seemingly wanton destruction of facilities. Sometimes I think it is a hang up from the era when people were taught to practice civil disobedience to try and topple the then government. This might be an inborn trait that these people have because it takes place all over Africa.

Butch Hannan

[desA]

The use of powerful water cannons may help to dampen the spirits of the few anarchists.

Reasonable people discuss first.

[Butch Hannan]

Maybe they could use water cannons with a permanent luminous dye so that persons responsible can be rounded up later and prosecuted.

Butch Hannan.

[Dave S]

Mob Mentality

Have you ever had the displeasure of being involved in disputes with "Trade Unions"? I am not trying to be racist here, but when a group of blacks get together they firmly believe that unity is strength, quite rightly so, but their "leaders" are the ones putting fuel on the fire.

These, so called "leaders" are at the forefront of the chanting and are never the ones throwing the stones (literally). Take Malema as an example, he was the one chanting and singing the "Kill the boer", but it was his comrades that were doing the physical damage.

It's also easy to say that if we educated people they would know better than to perpetrate such deads, but I ask you, which black man is going to listen to anything a white man has to say, especially if what is being said is contrary to what his "leaders" are saying???