The news that Vuwani will no longer be part of the new Lim345 municipality was not welcomed by all.
Vhavenda King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana met with President Jacob Zuma and the provincial premier Stan Mathabatha last week in Johannesburg, where it was agreed that the area will no longer be part of the Lim345 municipality but rather receive services from the Vhembe District Municipality (VDM).
Zuma, who visited the area yesterday, was supposed to address residents at the Nandoni sports grounds about this decision. Despite the fact that hundreds of people were waiting close to five hours for him, he did not attend the meeting because there were alleged fears for his safety.
Among the first to arrive at the meeting was Ramabulana. He explained that he had met with Zuma because he was also worried about the situation in Vuwani. "You know that Tshilwavhusiku Tsha Haramabulana never lost a single fight, and I am here bringing you the good news and I have brought government to communicate what we have agreed upon. Please listen to them," he said.
Just as Cooperative Governance Minister Des van Rooyen approached the podium, residents booed him away, demanding to see Zuma. Van Rooyen and other cabinet minister had to be whisked away for their own safety.
Following President Zuma's no-show, some members of the crowd turned violent. Cars were stoned and mobile toilets were toppled over
Limpopo police spokesman Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said that the volatile situation had been brought under control‚ but that police were patrolling the area. "Four people aged between 18 and 31 were arrested for public violence after six vehicles‚ one of them belonging to the police‚ were damaged. This happened immediately after the adjournment of a community gathering at Nandoni sports field in Vuwani [on Sunday]‚" said Mojapelo.
Three of the vehicles belong to the SABC and two are privately owned.
In the meantime, the spokesperson for the Pro-Makhado Group, Mr Nsavo Sambo, told Jacaranda FM this morning that they had accepted the proposal for the area to receive services from the VDM. He further added that they had called off the shutdown and that services in the area were expected to return to normal.
According to Mojapelo, the situation remains calm today.
A reporter for Limpopo Mirror, Elmon Tshikhudo, said the situation was still tense with only some businesses that were open in Vuwani. Schools in the area remained closed.