'Food yes, education no'

The people of Malamulele, in Limpopo, will open the roads to trucks delivering medicine and food. But for all others the roads will remain blocked as the community continues to fight for municipal status.

Yesterday the residents agreed to allow trucks carrying medicine to the local hospital and nearby clinics to move in and out of the area without being attacked.

Shop owners were allowed to collect bread and other necessities and open their shops for trading. But the roads will otherwise remain barricaded.

About 30 schools will remain closed.

Workers and students from Venda University, and from the FET colleges in Thohoyandou, have joined the protest.

Community leader Steven Mahlale said: "We cannot harm ourselves in the process of challenging the system to grant us a separate municipality. We took that [decision] to avoid unnecessary divisions in the community ."

Asked about pupils' right to education, Mahlale said: "Workers and students are leading this struggle. They are also affected by the lack of service delivery and they want to continue to stay away from work and school.

"We have agreed to hold weekly meetings to evaluate if there is a need to change some of our tactics."

Residents of Malamulele claim that the Thulamela municipality, the offices of which are in Thohoyandou, serves only the interests of Venda-speaking people to the detriment of Shangaan speakers.

Some in the community want to boycott the payment of services such as electricity supply.

Lucky Mthethwa said: "We are not paying for water, which we do not get anyway. We are going to investigate how we can by-pass the Eskom system and not pay for electricity."

On Saturday, the Municipal Demarcation Board rejected the residents' call that they be given the status of an independent municipality.

Roads leading to the Kruger National Park's Punda Maria gate have been closed and tourists forced to cancel their trips. Police are patrolling the area and breaking up gatherings of more than five people.