THOKO DIDIZA was supposed to be a safe candidate, chosen to bring peace to troubled Tshwane.
But her nomination has caused a smouldering fire to explode into a raging blaze of fury.
WE DON’T WANT A HER TO LEAD US, WAS THE MESSAGE FROM THE PEOPLE.
YESTERDAY in Tshwane, residents told Daily Sun they are Tswana and Pedi and will not accept the leadership of a person from KwaZulu-Natal.
“We will be led by one of our own,” they said. Residents said they were scared of being identified but vowed to fight for the current mayor, Kgosientso “Sputla” Ramokgopa, to be retained as the candidate.
“No Sputla, no vote,” said a young man.
Some protesters were calling for Mapiti Matsena to be nominated.
An angry resident from Soshanguve said they will hold the capital city hostage.
“There will be no clinics or schooling. We will turn Tshwane into a ghost town,” he said.
“The cops won’t outnumber us. We will fight for what we believe in.”
A resident from Hebron said they didn’t want Didiza.
“She doesn’t come from the area, nor does she know our problems,” she said.
On Monday, chaos erupted almost immediately in all the townships after the announcement, as the problems that have been going on for months in kasis around the city escalated.
Today, most shops in the CBD were closed and the main roads leading into the city were barricaded.
The closure of Mabopane Highway forced motorists to search for other routes into town and neighbouring areas. Busy Rankakata Road was also closed.
Trucks and cars, mainly those belonging to municipal and government departments, were set on fire in the townships.
The worst looting took place in Atteridgeville and neighbouring Lotus Gardens, where people attacked foreign owned spaza shops. Rubber bullets were used in many areas to disperse unruly crowds.
In Soshanguve, Hebron, Hammanskraal and Soutpan, schools, clinics and other government organisations did not open.
Nineteen City to City buses belonging to Autopax were set on fire at the depot in Mamelodi extension 5. People said residents sang struggle songs, including a new song with the words, “No Sputla, no vote”.
Merriam Lefela told Daily Sun only about 11 or 12 people torched the buses.
“They covered their faces with ANC
T-shirts. Some were shouting that they would not accept having a Zulu imposed
on them. They set the buses on fire and left without injuring anyone.”
A large group of protesters barricaded Solomon Mahlangu Road.
Regional chairman of Mamelodi ward 40, Sylvester Masina, said they would intensify the protest until Sputla was made their candidate.
“It is going to get worse,” he said.
Autopax’s acting CEO, Bongani Kupe, told Daily Sun they are unable to offer commuters alternative transport.
“We have no buses availbale and it isn’t safe.”
In Rama, near GaRankuwa, a vehicle belonging to the municipality was burnt while the main road to Rosslyn was blocked with stones and burning tyres.
