Taxi drivers, residents and agriculture MEC Mandla Msibi slept at Emoyeni Mall in Pienaar to protect it from looters. Picture: MANDLA KHOZA
By Lwazi Raul
It has been days since South Africa has been upside down , violence and looting taking place in within different provinces, especially Kwazulu Natal and Gauteng.
Mpumalanga provincial Legislature Chief Whip, Fidel Mlombo has asked Mpumalanga residents not to follow KZN and Gauteng on their bad behaviour of looting, violence and and vandalising of property.
On a statement issued by the provincial Legislature Mlombo has thanked Community members across Mpumalanga , members of Taxi associations who decided not to sleep but guard their precious malls and shopping complex within the province.
“The right to protest and express yourself freely as enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa forms a very crucial part of our country since the dawn of democracy, and shall be enjoyed by all South Africans.
It is a right that comes with a responsibility of ensuring that the protest action is conducted in an orderly and peaceful manner, and within the confines of the law under which the protester makes sure not to infringe on the rights of other people,”Mlombo said
The Chief Whip has shamed the way in which a number of South Africans has been behaving the past days.
“The scenes that the country was exposed to in the past few days were not at all pleasant and also not representing the correct way of expressing dissatisfaction even though the Constitution allows for protests and freedom of expression. It is our duty as Members of the Provincial Legislature representing the citizens of our province and constituencies respectively to call upon our communities to add their voice in condemning criminal acts of violence,” he concluded.
Mlombo has applauded citizens in Mpumalanga who have not engaged in such criminal activities and called upon all the responsible citizens to protect their valued infrastructure.
Since the protest have started about Seventy Two (72) people have died and One Thousand, Two Hundred and Thirty Four (1234) arrested.
