Staff reporter
Setsoto – It’s 13 years since Andries Tatane was brutally killed during a service delivery protest by members of South African Police Services (SAPS) hardly 6 weeks after his commemoration the town is burning over the same things he was killed protesting for.
On Wednesday, Step UP News received a 22-minute long audio recording of the organizers of the protest explaining everything in detail including why they were protesting and the question of State Security rising again as this could have been prevented, but it’s a matter for another day.
In the audio, the organizers (Ishmael Khosi, Masututsa Lephoto, and Maditsane Moleme) with the latter arrested were very emphatic about what they wanted and chief among their concerns were load shedding, potholes, and housing. From the audio, all they wanted was for the municipality to provide service, and that’s all.
In the absence of the leaders attending to community matters, they resorted to protest and unfortunately, four people were arrested and the community is demanding they be released.
A community member who spoke on condition of anonymity said these young people have been involved in the rebuilding of Meqheleng.
“They are the ones who restored Mapenyadira Hall amongst others.”
It is not the first time Ficksburg goes up in smoke, farmers joined the community over R26 and promises were made, to date that road continues to be a death trap.
Municipal properties were vandalized and the shops belonging to foreign nationals were also targeted.
This is a developing story.
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