2005-11-07,+Khutsong+residents+continue+protests

City Press, Johannesburg, 05/11/2005 19:44 - (SA)

Khutsong residents vow to continue protests to remain part of Gauteng
JACKIE MAPILOKO and JIMMY SEEPE

A HIGH-POWERED meeting between representatives of the Khutsong community and Provincial and Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi to resolve the municipal boundary dispute ended in failure yesterday.

The collapse of the talks came amid a tense atmosphere that was hanging over troubled Khutsong as residents sat impatiently waiting for word from the crisis meeting in Tshwane.

The meeting, attended by representatives from the South African Communist Party (SACP), the Carletonville Residents Association (CRA), taxi and civic organisations as well as local priests, failed to resolve the impasse that centres on mooted plans by government to incorporate the township into the North West province. Khutsong is presently part of Gauteng.

Mufamadi, together with Gauteng and North West MECs, attended the meeting.

Representatives from the SACP and CRA told City Press that their mandate was that Khutsong should remain in Gauteng.

SACP leader and group spokesperson Nkosiphendule Kolisile said: "We are disappointed with the outcome of the meeting. The meeting failed to yield anything for the community and as a result, the protests against incorporation are going to continue."

Mufamadi lashed out at the current protest, saying there was no need for the community to engage in civil unrest. "We have agreed that there is absolutely no reason for people to engage in an acrinomous battle when there are mechanisms in place to resolve problems."

Mufamadi said the issue of whether Khutsong falls under the North West or Gauteng had not been finalised. Parliament still has to finalise municipal boundaries of the provinces, he said.

Things turned ugly on Wednesday night when residents barricaded roads with burning tyres. Large rocks were used to block entry into the township and riot police were then called in.

Residents of this township, situated next to the mining town of Carletonville, are angry at their mayor Des van Rooyen, seen as the man behind a proposal that the area be incorporated into North West, ostensibly to further his political ambitions.

Interestingly, the marchers were led by Jomo Mokgale of the SACP, a member of the Tripartite Alliance which also includes the ANC and Cosatu.

"Des van Rooyen let us down, where is he now? He never attends to the masses and we know that he was promised a Cabinet post if he placed the Merafong Municipality under North West," claimed Mokgale.

Some of the local police, who would also be affected if the place were to be incorporated into the North West, evidently supported the march and encouraged people to fight to remain in Gauteng.

As marchers arrived at the Extension Four traffic lights, a set of tyres that was carried by the youth was set alight. This prompted ululations and cheers and anti-authority remarks directed at the police.

The police unleashed stun grenades to scare them off.

From: http://www.news24.com/City_Press/News/0,,186-187_1829565,00.html