Ventersdorp municipal offices arson case

Ventersdorp - The Old Ventersdorp City Hall, which currently houses the local Traffic Department, was set alight on Friday evening.

This was as a result of local residents who are unhappy over the proposed amalgamation of the Ventersdorp- and Tlokwe Municipalities, and follows a violent protest in Potcehfstroom yesterday over the same matter.

SAPS Spokesperson Paul Ramaloko confirmed this to OFM News.

Residents of the Ikageng township took to the streets, looting foreign owned shops and damaging property in the Potchefstroom CBD before handing over a memorandum of grievances to the municipality.

Meanwhile, district agriculture chairman Andrê Strydom says the situation in Ventersdorp is quite volatile, with cars being pelted with stones.

http://www.ofm.co.za/article/Local-...t-aligt?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
 
So let me get this straight....burning down the municipal offices will PREVENT amalgamation.

Oh I see now, it makes perfect sense.

/facepalm
 
#ExcuseToGoOnXenophobiaLootingSpree

The real reason these people protest.

Others just want to see the world burn.
 
Residents of the Ikageng township took to the streets, looting foreign owned shops and damaging property in the Potchefstroom CBD before handing over a memorandum of grievances to the municipality.
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http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/grievance

noun
1.
a wrong considered as grounds for complaint, or something believed to cause distress:
Inequitable taxation is the chief grievance.
2.
a complaint or resentment, as against an unjust or unfair act:
to have a grievance against someone.
Click to expand...

This was as a result of local residents who are unhappy over the proposed amalgamation of the Ventersdorp- and Tlokwe Municipalities, and follows a violent protest in Potcehfstroom yesterday over the same matter.
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Grievances...
 
One can at least hope that some of them will vote DA next year. They oppose this merger. People must learn to complain at the ballot box and not through criminal behavior.
 
Perhaps, but EFF are not that much bigger than the DA in Ikageng township.
 
Wish government would take a hardline on this. e.g. Train gets burned down. Government announces that community X will now have 1 less train going forward and it will **not** be replaced with taxpayer money. That would stop the mindless burning of useful public infrastructure pretty fast.

One can dream I guess...
 
HavocXphere said:
Wish government would take a hardline on this. e.g. Train gets burned down. Government announces that community X will now have 1 less train going forward and it will **not** be replaced with taxpayer money. That would stop the mindless burning of useful public infrastructure pretty fast.

One can dream I guess...
Click to expand...


Thanks for my saturday morning laugh :D
 
Municipal building torched in Ventersdorp

News24 Correspondent, News24

Ventersdorp - A municipal building and a car were set alight on Friday amid protests by Ventersdorp residents, opposing a proposed merger with Tlokwe municipality.

North West police spokesperson Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone confirmed that a bakkie was torched in Tshing. He could not, however, confirm whether the municipal building's fire was linked to the protest.

Ventersdorp residents took to the streets on Friday, protesting against the merger of their municipality and the Tlokwe [Potchefstroom] municipality. They said they were not consulted about the merger.

The Democratic Alliance has also opposed the merger, saying it would disadvantage tax payers in Tlokwe.

"The DA opposes the amalgamation as it will have a negative impact on Potchefstroom’s financial position. Ventersdorp struggles with non-payment and a poor collection rate. Residents from both towns share the DA’s objection that service delivery will suffer even more if these two towns should merge," caucus leader in Tlokwe, Chris Landsberg said.

"The DA will continue to fight the amalgamation and ensure the ANC is stopped in its tracks to continue with actions like these that they only do for political gain and not in the interest of the people of this area."

The protest in Ventersdorp coincided with another protest in Potchefstroom.

Residents of Ikageng near Potchefstroom said Ventersdorp was "too rural" and they would be disadvantaged when it came to receiving municipal services.

During the protest residents burnt tyres and damaged several spaza shops in the township.

Landsberg said DA members were instructed not to participate in violent protest.

"The DA, however questions if Potch/Tlowke will become a Khutsong, before the ANC listen to the community."

Khutsong residents waged a violent protest in February 2006, against the incorporation of their municipality Merafong into the North West province; they wanted to remain within the Gauteng province. A decision was later made that they would remain in Gauteng.

News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Municipal-building-torched-in-Ventersdorp-20150912
 
No arrests in municipal building blaze

Ventersdorp – No arrests have been made in connection with Friday’s torching of a municipal building in Ventersdorp, North West police said on Monday.

“The are no arrests that I am aware of,” said Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone.

A raging fire gutted the municipal traffic department building on Friday following a protest against the merger of the Ventersdorp and Tlokwe (Potchefstroom) municipalities.

Residents in the two towns are against the merger, saying they were not consulted. Tlokwe residents said they believed the merger would lead to a disruption in service delivery.
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http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/no-arrests-in-municipal-building-blaze-1.1915605#.VfaeZn2-Opo
 
Three in court for municipal arson

Rustenburg - Three Ventersdorp municipal workers, accused of burning down a municipal building, appeared briefly in court on Monday, North West police said.

“The suspects, Beatrice Mosepele, 49, Siphiwe Jankies, 36 and Ester Sekgwe, 39, appeared in the Ventersdorp Magistrates court today. The suspects will reappear on Thursday, 15 October 2015, where they will be given an opportunity to apply for bail,” said police spokesperson Captain Paul Ramaloko.
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More at http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/three-in-court-for-municipal-arson-1.1928730#.VhvCsm6-Opo
 
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