OFM News received information from a medical practitioner in the province who has asked not to be named, indicating that angry residents are determined to burn the clinic. 

North West's Health Department spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane, says security has again been beefed up at the facility following the latest attempt this past weekend. The Mayor of Matlosana Local Municipality, Maetu Kgaile, on the other hand, tells OFM News that things have completely normalised in the area, contrary to reports indicating otherwise.

“Everything is back to normal. You can see peace and harmony outside. I agree that people have their right to demonstrate their dissatisfaction and unhappiness regarding service delivery.” Kgaile cautions that this does not make it okay for angry community members to vandalise and loot private and public buildings, speaking of the looting that took place at businesses run by foreign nationals.

A group calling itself the “Forum For Service Delivery”, not to be confused with the registered political party Forum 4 Service Delivery (F4SD), first made threats to burn the clinic in a shutdown of the township on 23 April. The disgruntled group cited what they viewed as a total lack of service delivery as well as corruption allegations around the municipal manager. At least twenty people, including minors, were arrested for looting. The department asked the police to be on guard in a bid to prevent those planning to burn down the place. The community health centre was meant to be opened between the end of April and early May 2019, but the unrest has made it difficult to do so.

The National Police Commissioner, Khehla Sitole, will be in the North West tomorrow where he will visit some of the identified hotspots in the province ahead of the elections. It is unknown if Klerksdorp will form part of Sithole’s visit.

OFM News