Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Service delivery protests

  1. #1
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Durban, South Africa
    Posts
    22,648
    Thanks
    3,304
    Thanked 2,676 Times in 2,257 Posts
    Blog Entries
    12

    Service delivery protests

    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?

  2. Thank given for this post:

    Butch Hannan (24-Mar-10), IanF (10-Feb-10)

  3. #2
    Email problem BigRed's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Midrand
    Posts
    30
    Thanks
    6
    Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts
    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

  4. #3
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Durban, South Africa
    Posts
    22,648
    Thanks
    3,304
    Thanked 2,676 Times in 2,257 Posts
    Blog Entries
    12
    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.

  5. Thanks given for this post:

    tec0 (10-Feb-10)

  6. #4
    Administrator I Robot's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    783
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 15 Times in 14 Posts

    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...
    Last edited by Dave A; 23-Mar-10 at 04:00 PM.

  7. #5
    Bronze Member Butch Hannan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Middelburg Mpumalanga
    Posts
    184
    Thanks
    45
    Thanked 21 Times in 19 Posts
    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

  8. #6
    Platinum Member desA's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    South East Asia
    Posts
    1,023
    Thanks
    512
    Thanked 126 Times in 99 Posts
    The use of powerful water cannons may help to dampen the spirits of the few anarchists.

    Reasonable people discuss first.
    In search of South African Technology Nuggets(R), for sale & trading in South East Asia.

  9. #7
    Bronze Member Butch Hannan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Middelburg Mpumalanga
    Posts
    184
    Thanks
    45
    Thanked 21 Times in 19 Posts
    Maybe they could use water cannons with a permanent luminous dye so that persons responsible can be rounded up later and prosecuted.

    Butch Hannan.
    Last edited by Butch Hannan; 26-Jun-10 at 11:06 AM. Reason: error in text

  10. #8
    Gold Member Dave S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Randburg
    Posts
    733
    Thanks
    39
    Thanked 117 Times in 91 Posts

    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???
    Today Defines Tomorrow
    Errare Humanum Est Remitto Divinus

Similar Threads

  1. Rights to service delivery
    By Dave A in forum General Business Forum
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 13-Mar-08, 07:53 AM

Tags for this Thread

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •