Tlokwe City Council is very worried at the continuing defacing, damaging and removal of public property.
For the past few months now, our city has been subjected to serious vandalism which has so far reached unacceptable proportions. We have seen the city’s new street names being removed, others being defaced with black paint. Those removed were found dumped into the Vaal River. One of the Nelson Mandela Drive street name-plates was painted with a black paint to read “Dela rylaan”. It is from this particular defacing that we are now convinced that those engaged in these acts of political vandalism are people with a clear political agenda.
This morning, Friday, 14 September 2007, workers at the Madiba Banqueting Halls woke up to another defacing – the Madiba Banqueting Halls have been defaced. Once more the painting was only of the name “Madiba” with the old apartheid flag colours (Blue, Orange and White).
This again demonstrates that those behind these acts of vandalism are people with a political agenda. We are aware now as the City Council that there are people who are mobilising for a rent boycott in protest against the name changes. It is in this context that, as the City Council, we shall neither be intimidated nor hesitate to implement the Credit Control By-laws, especially when this political defiance finds its expression in the vandalisation of our city.
The fact that there are more racist graffiti in some parts of the city adds to this ongoing vandalism which is completely unacceptable. These writings contain insults, political defiance, and worse of attacks on Black people, their leaders and government.
As the City Council we have lodged a complaint with the South African Police Service and we are currently assisting the Police by analysing our CCTV cameras. Once this is done, we shall communicate this to the public and the media for purposes of exposing those behind these acts.
CONTACT:
Kaizer N. Mohau
Spokesperson in the office of the Executive Mayor
Tlokwe City Council
Tel: 018 299 5073
Fax: 018 299 5973
Mobile: 072 080 2824
Email: kaizerm@potch.co.za
Website: www.potch.co.za
