Tsoene told OFM News Ntombela promised to prioritise the situation in Manyatseng when she returns from her oversees trip next week. Protests broke out at the beginning of the week after the relationship between the municipality and the Marikana Settlement Committee broke down over general service delivery concerns.

DA Councillor, Tanya Halse, says the dissension dates back to a peaceful community march on May 24. It was here that a memorandum outlining a list of demands from the community was handed to Tsoene. These demands included a request from the Marikana Settlement Committee to have the municipality placed under administration. Halse says the mayor ended up calling a council meeting on May 29, where a task team was established to work on the demands. The task team’s responses were taken to the Marikana Settlement Committee on Monday, June 4.

This committee, however, was not satisfied with this step, stating the other demands were meant to support their call to have section 139 of the constitution invoked, and have the municipal council dissolved. Tsoene told OFM News she tried on numerous occasions to engage with disgruntled residents on the matter, including holding a Manyatseng public meeting on Wednesday, June 6. She adds while Mantsopa has its challenges, the municipality has in fact not completely collapsed. 

She says the provincial government has to be convinced the municipality has collapsed to invoke section 139, and she does think this is the case. Tsoene adds while Mantsopa is small and generates very little revenue, it is not among the worst performing municipalities.

Meanwhile, calm has descended on Ladybrand in the wake of the Mayor’s statement. Police spokesperson Phumelelo Dhlamini says it’s been a lot more quiet since Friday. He says public order police are still monitoring the situation in case protests flare up again. Eight people were arrested at the height of the protest on Wednesday June 6. Dhlamini told OFM News they appeared before the local Magistrate’s Court for public violence and were all released out on a warning. 

OFM News