Community on tenterhooks awaiting shutdown response

MEETINGS are taking place behind locked doors at the ANC provincial offices and Sol Plaatje Municipality following the Kimberley shutdown march on July 14.

Central to the demands made by the Kimberley Action Group (KAG) is the immediate removal of the Speaker and the municipal manager.

KAG member Herbert Miller said the ANC had requested time to scrutinise the list of grievances that was handed over to the premier.

“A follow-up meeting will be held next week. The Premier’s Office said the ANC is responsible for the appointment of municipal officials. We have given them seven days to respond to our full list of demands. If the delaying tactics continue, we will escalate protest action. 

“We are trying to keep the community calm, as residents are eagerly awaiting updates. People are becoming increasingly frustrated as they are subjected to poor services and cannot afford the high electricity and water tariffs.”

He added that ward councillors had been deployed to Ward 1 ahead of the by-election.

“All resources have been centralised in Roodepan and Platfontein, while the rest of Kimberley suffers and councillors are missing from their wards,” he stated.

Miller further indicated that the Greenpoint resident who was shot during the service delivery protest had opened criminal charges and intended to launch a civil lawsuit against the SAPS.

“He is in a stable condition. Only one person is still in custody, while the others who were arrested on charges of public violence during the protest in Greenpoint have been released on bail. Charges were withdrawn against the others.”

Boyce Makodi from the KAG reiterated the call for action to be taken against the SAPS officer who allegedly shot a man with live ammunition while he was on his way to work.

“The ongoing intimidation and bullying of communities must come to an end. SAPS must stop provoking residents in an attempt to trigger a reaction.

“Our prayers remain with the man who was shot and his family during this painful time. We will not rest until those responsible are held accountable and justice is served.”

Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) spokesperson Lizzy Suping confirmed that preliminary investigations into the incident have commenced.

The owner of Coastal Hire, Delene Thuynsma, stated that Morne Williams, 36, who was employed as a heavy-duty truck driver, was expected to be discharged from the hospital on Friday.

“He was determined to come to work despite the protest action, when he was shot. He is the sole breadwinner and supports his family, including two children and a three-year-old granddaughter.”

She added that Williams had been shot in the back, with the bullet exiting through his stomach.

“He was scheduled for an emergency operation on Monday as his right lung had collapsed. However, a CT scan taken on Tuesday revealed that the bullet had missed all his vital organs except the lung.

“According to the doctor, his lung and liver will heal without any surgical intervention. We are extremely grateful — everyone at work was praying very hard for him because he could have died during the incident,” Thuynsma added.