The FF Plus strongly condemns the ongoing violent protests in Mpumalanga. Over the past two weeks, the province experienced extremely violent protests that caused the economy and the private sector to suffer great financial losses.

Illegal protest actions once again focused the spotlight on the government’s lack of service delivery and the community’s consequent revolt.

Local communities are holding the provincial economy to ransom to ensure that their pleas are heard and they also want to be first in line for the allocation of funds for the new financial year, which starts on the 1st of April 2020.

No matter how poor the communication is between the local government and communities, protesters simply cannot be allowed to hold towns, like Grootvlei, Balfour and Barberton, and main economic routes between Mpumalanga and Limpopo (R40 Bushbuckridge) to ransom for problems that have nothing to do with the residents or the taxpayers.

The more recent protest actions were much more intense than previous protest actions because protesters are desperate and at their wits’ end. Mass protests mimicked the style of pre-1994 protest actions. The residents who do not want to participate are intimidated and threatened. People are throwing stones and shooting at citizens.

The ANC government must enforce law and order and protect law-abiding citizens. The authorities are supposed to continually communicate with communities via ANC councillors and other communication channels.

The destruction of government and private property must be stopped and Mpumalanga must be transformed into a destination that everyone can be proud of and that will attract investors.

Read the original article in Afrikaans by Werner Weber on FF Plus

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