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Senior traditional leaders in the trouble-torn Vuwani in Limpopo have signed a settlement aimed at ending the shutdown in the area and allowing voting but the agreement has been met with opposition by communities.
Signatories of the agreement were in high spirits following the signing in Polokwane this morning. The agreement stated that the shutdown in Vuwani would be lifted and voting would be allowed. It also stated that the government would, 14 days after the elections, initiate legislative processes to re-determine the outer borders of Vuwani.
“We’re delighted there is a mutual agreement ... all schools will reopen and those who are eligible to vote will be allowed to do so,” said cooperative governance minister Des Van Rooyen this morning.
“This signing will bring a totally different atmosphere to Vuwani.”
One of the senior traditional leaders, Mmbangiseni Masia, said the representatives of the affected communities were confident that their issues would be resolved.
“We’ve been engaging with the government for some time and this includes a meeting between the King [Toni Ramabulana Mphephu] and President Jacob Zuma and it is from that meeting that we’re confident our issues will be resolved,” Masia said.
“I think [our communities] will celebrate once we [end] this impasse.”
Just minutes after the settlement was signed in Polokwane, City Press received reports that police were shooting rubber bullets at people in Vyeboom village near Vuwani town in a bid to disperse a group of people.
Vyeboom is a known hot spot for the Vuwani demarcation protests.
“We’re yet to get briefed by our traditional leaders but if they have indeed signed that agreement, then it binds them and not the broader community. We’re still saying there will be no voting in Vuwani,” said a community leader from Vyeboom, Nsovo Sambo.
“Our stance has always been clear that we won’t vote unless the demarcation decision is reversed before the elections. We know nothing of any settlement.”
Vuwani was brought to a standstill early in July when communities took to the streets in protest.
The violent protests left more than 20 schools torched after the communities of Vuwani lost a legal battle against the Municipal Demarcation Board. They wanted the board to reverse a decision to have their area form part of a new municipal entity with Malamulele and Hlanganani.
The mostly Venda communities wanted to remain part of the Louis Trichardt-based Makhado municipality. Protesting communities had been putting pressure on the government to reverse the demarcation decision and threatened to not vote if this did not happen.
Following a series of meetings, government and traditional leaders reached an agreement but it did not seem like the communities were in favour of it.
The situation was reportedly still calm in Vuwani after the shooting earlier.
“The community has decided against voting ... so we will see what happens on Wednesday next week because the Independent Electoral Commission will not be allowed to enter our areas,” said Sambo.
