Riots in Plettenberg Bay – N2 Closed
Mahatma Gandhi:
“I object to violence because when it appears to do good,
the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.“
The past 2 days have had rocks and burning tires express the dissatisfaction of the poor of Qolweni, a growing shack community in Plettenberg Bay.
Most won’t know where Qolweni is. It’s not even marked on Google Maps. But if you’re a resident of the Garden Route, or a traveller passing through, it’s impossible to miss. Entering Plettenberg Bay (coming from Knysna), shoddy “houses” (pieced together from whatever can be found) line the left-hand side of the N2 highway and stretch inland.
Facts are hard to come by so i’ve tried to piece together an outline from several sources.
The cause is most likely the failure by the Bitou Municipality to deliver basic services to this ANC-led community (note that this was not part of the ongoing battle between the ANC and DA – in fact, the ANC Councillor for Qolweni was blocked from returning home). The spark may have been DA Mayor Memory Booysen who, apparently, after having received a list of grievances last week, failed to turn up (or was late) for a meeting to discuss them.
The protest began with stones and rocks being thrown at cars on Piesang Valley Road on Tuesday. By Wednesday (yesterday) it had escalated to burning tires blocking the N2. One person mentioned that tear gas had been used. A business owner in the industrial area, which borders Qolweni, told me that there’d been smaller roadblocks within and that more tires had been lit, ironically, near tyre and exhaust supplier, Hi-Q. Most businesses have closed to ensure protection of their staff.
If South Africa ever went up in flames, service delivery is likely to be the reason why. And for the past year i’ve considered Plett as a possible epicentre. That’s not a statement for shock effect. All South Africans should fear the consequences of mass unemployment when combined with the indignities of insufficient toilets, electricity and running water (the basics needed for any society to exist).
Lately, we’ve witnessed, protests against 8% unemployment in the USA and 18% in Greece. South Africa’s is officially at 26% but more likely over 50%, especially amongst young adults and even more so in small towns such as Knysna and Plettenberg Bay where the main industry of tourism has almost collapsed. It’s where crime is on the increase no matter what the police are reporting. It’s where local politicians avoid tackling the problems head-on whilst drawing salaries totally out of proportion to the populations they are suppose to serve.
These are not issues to be avoided. Disappointingly, not even the blocking of one of South Africa’s biggest roads made a dent in the news. That attitude will cost us all.
Well, after all the comments and going backwards and forwards I am going with Mahatma Ghandi on this one. Our factory along with a few others were burnt to the ground. (if you look on the map, it is the first one just after Qolweni next to the N2). We employ 22 people and things are at a standstill now. This means we are responsible for 22 families. We also pay for two disadvataged children to go to University which will have to stop now. Along with that we support children who cannot pay to go to SWD sports events, this will have to stop. We supply funds for camps for children to attend, who otherwise would not be able to go. I guess this means that if they rely on us they won’t be going. Our company is also upgrading a creche in Coldstream, which is a project we have taken on over the past year and a half. I guess the upgrading stops just there. When asked we supply transport for school outings to a neighbouring school. Guess that stops too. Why does it all stop. Well we don’t have a business to support all of this. So you all tell me what you think? So what I am saying is that well, I will be alright and we will start again, so eventually our 22 staff members and their families will be alright. But the alright will have to end there. If there is anyone with a spare R100 000.00 our there, let me know as I know plenty of children who will now need it.
No matter how much i blame politicians for what is wrong in Plett and Knysna, violence against the innocent can never be condoned. My heart sinks for all who have lost something. I worry too for a mate who has yet to respond to me regarding his own safety (and that of his business which is also on the border).
The ANC and the DA need to stop fighting and start working together otherwise we will all lose. Surely what has happened in Plett is enough reason to do so! Local politicians need to do the job they were elected to instead of being micro-managed by provincial and national leaders.
It is true what Mahatma Ghandi say:-
Mahatma Gandhi:
“I object to violence because when it appears to do good,
the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.
If only we knew how to get 10 000 people to safely, and without violence, block roads in protest, we would probably change South Africa into a better country for all of us.
The people will rise no matter who is in government. I agree with RED5 if this protest action was in a ANC controlled municipality it would have been headline news, but no it is the the media’s darling party the DA that is in control of Bitou. As I have mentioned on another blogg linked to this one I am been convinced during the past seven months that the media needs to be statutory regulated, they can’t be allowed to regulate itself. The class struggle is in full swing! Aluta continua!
In that context, yes, it would have been all over the news if it had been an ANC municipality. Media bias has been discussed on this blog before.
As to your first sentence, thank you because that’s truer than any political affiliation statement.
The world’s current zeitgeist is for change. In Wisconsin in the USA, an unprecedented 1.2 million people signed a petition to recall a governor who favoured big business over the public and tried to kill the unions. We all know of the ongoing flames in the Arab world, the changed lifestyles in Ireland and Greece etc. A far scarier, looming nightmare is China’s economy (no, certainly not a model for South Africa as the corrupt relationship between the state and banks may lead to the biggest financial crisis by far).
Unfortunately, middle and upper class South Africans are deniers until bad things actually happen. The masses (the unemployed, poor and dream disillusioned) are restless. They have a right to be.
http://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/plettenberg-bay-service-delivery-protesters-block-n2-1.1230470
Any truth to the rumour that, pre-election, Memory Booysen promised jobs to Qolweni, New Horizons etc. via a lotto draw from a (literal) wheelbarrow i.e. all residents would get a fair chance for unskilled labour jobs?
Were New Horizon residents involved in the blockade in the industrial area? If so, then the problem is far bigger than described.
This is truly shocking. Appalling that the media would not report widely on this and ask some hard hitting questions like (1) How much money has the new DA led council WASTED on frivolous legal actions (most of which they have lost? (2) How much money have they WASTED on witchunt style disciplinary process against known ANC officials? (3) How much money have they WASTED on illegally granted contracts/tenders (like for instance the security contract costing upwards of R15ok per month – only one of many)? (4) how much TIME have they wasted in this process instead of doing council work and delivering service, the ONLY thing they have focussed on is ridding the municipality of any person who shows loyalty to the ANC. No wonder there aren’t any services delivered in the poor areas, the (ever so pure and holy) DA is way to pre-occupied with fighting the (evil) ANC. If you missed it, the brackets denoted sarcasm…
Service delivery has plagued both the DA and ANC.
Maybe, but the DA is in charge now and they must face the music. My question remains – why does the mainstream media not pick up on this and report? Is it because the mainstream media only reports on service delivery problems in ANC municipalities and service delivery successes in DA municipalities? Or is it not so sinister? Just not interested in Plett? I think not, if you have regard to how much Plett politics do feature in the news (when there is something negative to write about the ANC).
I agree with all that and you know that i fight against it. The DA must face the music. But it is wrong for those who kept silent during previous administrations to keep silent now. Yes, fight what’s evil on the Garden Route now but remember to keep the same values and keep on fighting no matter who is in charge.