The planned Mahikeng Shutdown has failed to draw enough support from locals to bring the town to a standstill. But learning was interrupted in some schools. Those who planned the shutdown are complaining about crime, unemployment, poor service delivery and the tender system, among others. Police and other law enforcement officers were monitoring all intersections in the North West capital.
Police visibility was heightened around Mahikeng, with the army also deployed. But many ignored the shutdown and went about their business as usual. A few residents, who were planning to continue with the march, were dispersed by police in Setumo Park village. The organiser of the march, David Angoma, has dismissed assertions that the shutdown has failed.
“The action is successful because remember now the government has sent police and soldiers, so the thing is successful. You cannot say the thing didn’t go well. It went well because the only problem we were having is that when they started shooting at us because we don’t know whether it was live ammunition or rubber bullets, others they were hitting them in the air and they were shooting at us. So, we don’t know the one they were shooting up in the air was a live ammunition and just pretending that they are using rubber bullets.”
Those who supported the shutdown say they are concerned about the state of Mahikeng.
“I’d like to advise the youth to fight for their future because Mahikeng is dirty and our roads are also bad,” a resident said.
“As we speak Mahikeng is a desert. Drive around Mahikeng and see how it looks. The same Mahikeng that used to be beautiful,” another resident said.
Meanwhile, learning was interrupted in some schools, as many learners did not pitch while others were reportedly sent back home.
“The teachers’ mood is very low because many children did not come to school. In that case, they could not teach and lessons also suffered…as well as the school feeding scheme, which was also affected because the food was cooked but, in the end, only a few learners ate and the remaining food has to be thrown away which becomes a waste,” a learner said.
“Many learners didn’t come to school. The teachers have also sent us back and made us sign attendance register and told us that we can’t go into the school because they thought the shutdown was going ahead,” another learner explains.
Meanwhile, a large contingency of police remains posted in the area.
“Our law enforcement agencies are continuing to monitor the situation which is currently under control. We were compelled earlier today to disperse a group of people who barricaded the road at Setumo Park. We therefore urge communities not to use shutdown as a justification for failing to continue with daily activities. We are still maintaining presence in the whole of Mahikeng,” says police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone. Police say no one has been arrested at this stage.
Source: eNCA
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