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Chaotic scenes of burning tyres and running battles with the police are spreading throughout Mahikeng as angry residents join in calls for the removal of North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo.
The protests began earlier this morning in Montshiwa township, where a bus was torched and a few local shops were looted. Schooling was also disrupted.
The protests came at a time when the ANC national working committee was meeting the party’s provincial leadership in the Hartbeestpoort Dam area. The meeting was aimed at healing the rift between Mahumapelo and the ANC caucus in the provincial legislature – who previously indicated they wanted him out. Some even hinted that they would vote with the opposition in the pending motion of no confidence in him.
READ: Luthuli House swoops on North West to deal with Supra problems
Residents anger at Mahumapelo simmers
Most of the ordinary residents who spoke to City Press said they were angry with Mahumapelo for poor service delivery and the growing allegations of corruption under his leadership in the province.
They complained of pot-hole riddled roads, insufficient street lights, water and the general upkeep of the Mahikeng area.
“We have been quiet for a very long time, hearing all the stories of how politicians, including the premier, have embarked on a self-enrichment project at the expense of residents of this province. We want him out ... the ANC must just do the right thing and get us a premier who really cares about the public,” said an elderly woman in the Montshiwa township.
“I support these children’s campaign and protest to have the premier removed. I pray that other areas will join in and together we can put pressure on the ANC to remove him.”
#Mahikeng #AntiSupraProtest now in the CBD where most businesses have closed down @City_Press pic.twitter.com/WdKhbarm3n
— Poloko Tau (@PolokoTau) April 18, 2018
A high school student in Montshiwa said he had observed the headlines Mahumapelo had been making for all the wrong reasons.
“Our brothers and sisters are roaming the streets unemployed but the things you hear about people raking in millions through questionable tenders is very sad. I came to this protest to add my voice and say the premier must go,” he said.
The protest spread to Mahikeng’s central business district where roads were blocked with tree branches, garbage and burning tyres. Burning tyres were also spotted in areas like Danville township and Magogoe village, where some roads were also barricaded.
A union representing public employees in the province, National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union, embarked on its own march demanding that Mahumapelo be removed. It has been supported by the ANC’s alliance partners – the South African National Civic Organisation and the SA Communist Party – in the province.
The scandal-riddled Mahumapelo
The embattled Mahumapelo has been under fire since the beginning of this year, when numerous allegations of corruption – including the scandalous awarding of an IT services contract worth more than R200 million for his office – surfaced.
Having been linked to the controversial Guptas previously, it emerged that another contract was dubiously awarded to Mediosa – a Gupta-linked company – for mobile clinic services. It was also revealed that the Guptas coordinated the establishment of Mediosa to raise money to fund a clinic the family was planning to open in Dubai. Mediosa was also paid R30 million in advance before it could do any work on its R180 -million contract.
The ANC Youth League leader Collen Maine said last week he was introduced to the Guptas by Mahumapelo. Reports suggested that Maine was one of the politicians who benefited financially from the Guptas.
Some members of the ANC provincial leadership were expected to leave the ball in the governing party’s court and ask the working committee to remove Mahumapelo as a party deployee. Members of the party’s caucus were expected to support this.
READ: Supra gets a stay of execution as EFF takes secret ballot vote to court
It remained to be seen how the ANC, which has reprimanded the caucus members against voting with the opposition to remove Mahumapelo in the legislature, would handle the matter.
And the protests continue
Meanwhile, there was no sign of an end to today’s protest, with the majority of businesses and public transport not operating in Mahikeng.
Sources told City Press that the plan was to mobilise other areas in the province, as well as public servants, to join in the protest and call for Mahumapelo’s removal.
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