It Will Be War Till Zuma Comes

[XXPANTHAXX]

Kenichi Serino and Theo Nkonki

Standerton - Residents set sporadic fires in the township of Sakhile in
Standerton on Thursday while ANC National Executive Committee members
met local leaders to discuss violent protests in the area.

"At this moment people are stopping others from going to work and
burning tires next to a municipal building," said police spokesperson
Bongiswe Nkosi on Thursday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, residents set fire to tyres in the Rooikop section
of Sakhile township.

"That fire is saying we're angry," said Zama Dube, 29, as he toyi-toyied
in the burning smoke.

Residents were frustrated not only with the lack of service delivery but
also with the municipality's lack of responsiveness.

"The municipality are using us for our votes. Then they do nothing for
us," said Jacob Tshabalala, a 32-year-old security guard.

"Their promises are nought."

Shacks and diseases

Tshabalala waved a hand at the rows and rows of shacks and said: "You
can see for yourself there are only shacks here, no houses. There are
diseases and the sewage runs past the doors."

Tshabalala said residents no longer knew what to do after having been
ignored for so long while lacking leadership.

"They've left us no choice, people are confused. We don't know what to
do."

Nkosi said the police were continuing to monitor the situation and
arresting people for public violence.

However, many residents said the police were going too far, particularly
those who had been called in from other areas.

Shooting wildly

Home owner Emmerentia Joko said police broke into her house without
warning while chasing a man.

Her house was damaged in the pursuit, she said, as she showed reporters
where her back door was allegedly kicked in and her bedroom window had
two bullet holes.

She said police had wildly fired rubber bullets at the man.

"I said to them, 'You could have shot one of my kids'," said Joko.

"They said, 'It is not our business'."

Joko's six-year-old daughter Kelly watched as the police officers
entered her home.

"I was scared because they had guns," said Kelly.

"They didn't give a damn," said Joko.

The demonstrations continued while members of the ANC's NEC met
municipal and provincial government leaders.

On Wednesday community leader Phanuel Manana told crowds assembled at
Sakhile stadium that ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe would be
visiting the troubled township.

The ANC said on Thursday this would not be the case.

"It's hurtful, so hurtful," said Tshabalala.

"They don't want to listen to us."

'We want Zuma'

Other residents said they would not be satisfied until they were visited
by President Jacob Zuma himself.

"We'll smash, it'll be war until... Jacob Zuma comes," said a man who
would only identify himself as Nico.

"Why did he go to Balfour? Standerton is bigger than Balfour. He must
come here."

Zuma paid a surprise visit to Balfour in August this year following
service delivery protests in the Mpumalanga town.

Tshabalala added: "Zuma is, I don't know if he is even [in] South
Africa."

"See Brazil," his friend offered.

"Maybe he's in Brazil," said Tshabalala.

- SAPA