Gran goes for Nathi Mthethwa head on

23 March 2012 - 02:11 By CHANDRÉ PRINCE
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Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa leaving a police Nyala to speak to the people of Ratanda, south of Heidelberg, yesterday
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa leaving a police Nyala to speak to the people of Ratanda, south of Heidelberg, yesterday

Frail and walking with an uncomfortable limp, Lydia Buthelezi yesterday became the face of service-delivery protests in Ratanda township, east of Johannesburg.

Aided by a walking stick, Buthelezi - who does not know her age - stood out in a volatile crowd gathered at the township outside Heidelberg and walked straight up to Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa.

Her neighbours and other residents had turned violent over the past three days, burning down councillors' houses, a clinic, the local municipal offices and a library, and turning the streets into a war zone.

None of the thousands of angry protesters who gathered in the streets, carrying placards bemoaning the municipality's leadership and chanting derogatory songs, had the guts to confront Mthethwa.

All stood at a distance. But Buthelezi - fed up with her "billing crisis" and desperate for help - would have no more.

To roaring applause from the crowd, Buthelezi looked straight at Mthethwa, forcing him to step down from a podium, and pleaded with him: "Please help me. I'm old and don't have money, I only get a pension. They are killing me with all the bills. I can't any more."

With an old age pension of R1 140, Buthelezi, who shares her home in Blesbok extension with one relative, said she was bombarded with utility bills ranging between R1500 and R2000 a month.

"Even my pension is not enough for all the bills. I pay them and then I'm left with nothing for food or anything else. I have to beg from others to survive," said Buthelezi, who suffers from high blood pressure and arthritis.

Buthelezi's situation, however, is no different to that of her neighbours who fall under the Lesedi municipality.

They are all incensed at the "exorbitant" electricity tariffs and the municipality's debt-recovery policy of disconnecting electricity to those in arrears.

They are adamant - they want to buy electricity direct from Eskom and demand an audit of the municipal finances.

But even more intense is their "disgust" at the municipality's leadership, and at the ANC for failing to intervene.

Buthelezi's stance became symbolic of ordinary people's discontent with lack of service delivery and their anger at the ANC for not delivering on its promises.

A resident who mounted the podium at the request of Mthethwa lambasted the ANC, Gauteng MEC for community safety Faith Mazibuko, and Lesedi mayor Lerato Maloka.

"It took you four days to come here. Niyas' delela (You are not respecting us)," said the resident.

"We have different ANCs here ... It's ANC vs ANC. You should ask yourself why, for the first time, there is a DA councillor in this area."

He criticised MEC Mazibuko for treating the people of Ratanda like "second-rate citizens".

But it was mayor Maloka who fared worst. Her house has been burnt down and residents have labelled her a "witch" and called for her axing, saying she is "arrogant" and does not listen to their pleas.

"She is the one that caused all this damage. She said people can do whatever they want," said Mohlodi Motai.

Though welcoming Mthethwa's intervention, residents asked why President Jacob Zuma had not come to speak to them.

"We are only good to vote them into power. But when it comes to bread-and-butter issues they don't set foot here," said Violet Mohqi.

Mthethwa yesterday appeased the angry crowd when he arranged for a meeting with community leaders, and local government and municipal officials.

But he warned that the police would not tolerate violence.

"We can't negotiate with people who hurt and harm others, no matter how genuine their grievances."

Though no violence was reported yesterday, residents vowed that they will continue to fight until their issues are resolved.

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