A total shutdown is expected to take place on Thursday in the Capricorn district which includes Polokwane and Lebowakgomo amongst other areas.
Despite that the Minister of Finance during his Budget Speech Enoch Godongwana referring to the local and global economic outlook, he said global growth is forecast to increase, from 3.1 per cent this year to 3.2 percent in 2025, various cluster and groups such as Matlala, Mashashane, Mathiba ,Nobody, Polokwane ,Seshego and SANCO have embarked on a total shutdown protest that hasn't been approved by the local authorities.
They say schools, shops, offices and departments will not be operational. They demand water crisis to be resolved permanently and other service deliveries claiming that their municipalities are moving a snail page. Polokwane Municipality said however that no shutdown has been approved therefore it will be business as usual.
Polokwane Municipality has been targeted because of lack of water despite that Lepelle Northern Water Dr Cornelius Ruiters promised to resolve the matter earlier after meeting with Polokwane Executive Mayor John Makoro Mpe.
Water scarcity is not only affecting Limpopo and Polokwane municipality, but it was also recently revealed that 50% of Johannesburg faces water shortage in blow to South Africa's richest.
Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu has embarked on curbing water crisis country wide.
Meanwhile, the African National Congress (ANC) in the Peter Mokaba Region said in a statement through its spokesperson Adolph Rapetsoa said it has noted plans to ‘shutdown’ parts of the City of Polokwane and Lepelle-Nkumpi Municipality on April 4, 2024, by some groups in society. The ruling party condemned the shutdown protest calling for a peaceful protest that doesn’t disrupt businesses of the day or violates other people’s rights who don’t want to participate in any protest.
“We have always reiterated that we respect the right of every citizen to engage in peaceful protest and demonstration as enshrined in our Constitution. It is the ANC that fought for these, and other rights engrained in our Bill of Rights. However, it should be firmly stated that nowhere in our Constitution or any piece of legislation is there provision for a so-called shutdown that disrupts services, schooling and the right of other residents to go to work. We are not oblivious to the fact that it is election season and not all acts of community mobilisation can be divorced in one or another from narrow politics that border on electioneering,” the ANC said in a statement.
“Therefore, whilst we uphold the right to demonstration, we categorically reject attempts to destabilise our municipalities and the essential services they render to residents under the pretext of community mobilisation in illegal protests. We further condemn the abuse of genuine service delivery issues by some political actors and businesspeople to mobilise our communities in acts of pure anarchy.Thus, the ANC calls on residents to reject calls to engage in illegal activities and so-called shutdowns and rather continue with their normal lives on 04 April. We also call on law enforcement agencies to do their work without any fear or favour and ensure the protection of property, schools and the right to work.”
The ruling party said it is aware that various municipalities have commenced with IDP community consultations for this financial year which allow public participation in governance as envisioned in the Freedom Charter. Rapetsoa said: “ On the same day of 04 April for instance, Polokwane Municipality is scheduled to consult with the entire community of Seshego on their IDP. Thus, we encourage our communities to utilise these appropriate platforms that the government has created to voice out their grievances with the view to improving service delivery.”
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