Sithandiwe Velaphi

The Sterkspruit Civic Association has vowed to continue with their protest action in the area until their demands for a separate municipality are met.

Residents are demanding to be removed from the Senqu local municipality, which is based at Lady Grey. They claim that the population of Sterkspruit is bigger than that of Lady Grey.

The residents have been engaged in violent protest since September, vandalising properties and burning tyres, preventing access to the town and children from going to school

On Monday, local government MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane, held meetings with association members, traditional leaders and municipal authorities.

A task team was then set up and community members will also be allowed to go back to work without disruptions.

“There was also an important need to restore the relationship between the police and the local community for peace and stability to be the order of the day in Sterkspruit,” said Qoboshiyane.

But chairperson of the association Mcebisi Mgojo said residents were not satisfied with what was said at the meeting.

“The meeting did not give answers to our concerns and we will continue with our protest action until our demands are met. We want a separate municipality from Senqu,” he said.

Mgojo claimed that service delivery was being compromised by the municipality as it was based at Lady Grey.

Senqu has dismissed the claim. The municipality is named after the Orange River, which is called Senqu in Sesotho.

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