Central SA
Public violence: Ladybrand protestors due in FS court─── 14:18 Thu, 10 Dec 2020
Over a dozen protestors arrested in connection with violent service delivery protests in the Free State town of Ladybrand this week are appearing in the Local Magistrate's Court for their bail applications on Thursday 10 December 2020.
Free State police spokesperson, Motantsi Makhele, says fifteen Ladybrand residents have been arrested thus far since protests erupted on Tuesday and they will each face public violence charges and the contravention of the National Road Traffic Act.
PROTESTORS TAKE TO THE STREETS EIGHT DAYS AFTER PEACEFUL MARCH
The disgruntled residents in this town located roughly 20 kilometres from the Lesotho border — the Maseru bridge specifically — took to the streets this week demanding that the Mantsopa Local Municipality attend to service delivery and corruption concerns.
Last week, the community held a peaceful march regarding service delivery issues and handed over a memorandum of demands to the municipality management and representatives from the Free State Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta). Protest action erupted on Tuesday, due to the absence of a tangible plan to solve these challenges.
COURTS PROCEEDINGS INTO MATTER BEGIN AT 14:00
Makhele says the angry group not only barricaded Ladybrand roads with burning tyres, but they allegedly went further torching a municipality trailor and water tankers.
The protestors will appear before the Ladybrand Magistrate’s Court at 14:00. Mantsopa Local Municipality spokesperson, Pule Lechesa, told The South African that a statement on the issues will be released soon.
FREE STATE DA CONDEMN PUBLIC VIOLENCE
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the area has condemned the volatile protests, with Councillor Tania Halse, cautioning residents that “violence is not the answer”.
Halse does acknowledge the municipality has failed its residents with “poor roads infrastructure, an inability to deliver a safe and reliable supply of drinking water and a huge backlog of services, rates and taxes accounts”.
She maintains, however, that in destroying infrastructure, this sets the municipality back with regards to service delivery. Halse implores residents to vote come next year’s municipal elections.
“The only way residents in the Mantsopa Local Municipality can create an enabling environment for the community, one which is focused on frontline service delivery efforts and is people-centred, is at the ballot box where residents can vote for a DA-run government,” Halse said.
The South African will provide an update on the status of the bail applications once the group has appeared before the Ladybrand courthouse.
