On Wednesday, July 20, Six residents of Bela-Bela, including a well-known business person and a candidate for the forthcoming municipal elections, spent a night in police cells after they allegedly disrupted a meeting in the Bela-Bela Township.
The six, NJ van Heerden, Keenen Alberts, Isac Aschendorf Rodney Miles, Obed Fidelis Motau and Daniel Sedibana, were arrested and charged with inciting public violence. After their objections during the Waterberg Youth Career Expo at the Khabele Primary School sports fields to visiting authorities was made known.
The group identified as members of the EFF, Ubuntu, Concerned Residents Group and includes the Change for Bela-Bela group. The members argued two days before (on Monday, July 18) for the Bela-Bela Municipality, among other things, wanted the announcement of the results of a forensic report into the alleged irregularities in the municipality, as well as the scrapping of the town’s new tariffs on basic services.
The new tariffs on electricity, water, and sewage, which came into force on July 1, is a concern for many people since the increased amounts were exorbitant.
Mayor Lucas Nhlapo signed the group’s memorandum on Monday and promised that he would take up the complaints with councilors. The protesters gave him 24 hours to respond but failed to respond to their deadline. They stated, among other things in the memo that they will disrupt municipal meetings until they get answers.
The group arrived on Wednesday at Khabele Primary School sports field in the township to hand over the same demands to the present government officials.
Blade Nzimande, minister of higher education, and Thulas Nxesi, Minister of Public Works, was also the meeting.
Apparently, the group had access to the premises in the township but were turned away when they tried to attract the attention of the authorities with a loud speaker.
It was alleged that a scuffle between the group and the police took place. The six were arrested and charged with inciting public violence. The group was arrested around 10:00 arrested, but apparently only charged at 15:00.
The suspects were taken to police holding cells and spent the night there. They were to appear in the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, July 21. However, when the group arrived at court the next morning, they were told that the matter was never placed on the roll.
To everyone’s surprise, the court decided to let the group off with a warning. The case has now been referred to the Chief State to determine whether there are grounds for any complaints.
The group after their release appeared outside the court and said they planned a legal protest and that “they will not be silenced” after what had happened.
The group also said that they have a good relationship with the police and that no legal action against the police would be taken.
Bela-Bela Municipality said in a statement that the Change group application for their demonstration was not approved.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
