The Mayor of the Overstrand, Dr Annalie Rabie, strongly condemned the protests that led to the closure of the R43 at Hawston and Mount Pleasant.
“The protests last Thursday and Friday are nothing but an excuse for political shenanigans by opportunistic individuals wishing to destabilise governance and create chaos for their own benefit,” she said. “What is of further concern is the perceived criminal undertone to these protests. Children are being used as so-called cannon fodder, to throw stones and petrol bombs at motorists and the police on the R43. This modus operandi reminds one of the criminals using the youth to carry out illegal activities knowing they are too young to be prosecuted.”
Last week, various communities expressed their discontent with the OM about the increase in individual municipal accounts and poor service delivery. The protests were allegedly triggered after a public meeting held in Hawston on 2 August.
According to a press release from the OM the Mayor was summoned to a public meeting, with the threat that should she not come the R43 will be closed at Hawston.
“What happened was that the Mayor did attend the meeting, but left after about one-and-a-half hours, after the meeting had become rowdy,” the press release said, “and yet they closed the R43 with burning tyres and other obstacles.”
Rabie said good service delivery for everyone was important to the OM and that they go out of their way to meet everyone’s needs. “We worked tirelessly to bring services to all its residents and even amended its Indigent Policy at the July 2023 council meeting,” she said, “to provide additional support to the most vulnerable households, meaning that many more households can be assisted with indigent grant support. However, it is a fact that there will be increases in the individual accounts, as had always been the case at the start of every financial year. This is no reason for damaging public infrastructure and compromising the safety of law-abiding citizens.”
On Monday the Land Party led by Louis Gardiner held a peaceful march to the municipal office. He said he was not happy with the Mayor’s comments. Rabie stated in the press release that he had threatened her: “One particular individual by the name of Louis Gardiner who called himself a chief with links to the Land Party, has been publicly threatening the Mayor on several occasions, saying she must be taken out and he will make the Overstrand ungovernable.”
Gardiner, who is Overberg chairperson of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa), said this is not true, and he spoke on behalf of so many in the Overberg.
“There is only one race and it is the human race, and Mayor Rabie is pushing her own agenda,” he declared. “I never threatened her. I warned her that things like this were going to happen. My whole life I have dedicated to better the lives of my people, whether it be RDP houses or fishing rights. I never received a cent from any of it. So I demand an apology.”
According to Gardiner he is recognised by all government departments.
“Since she became Mayor I have been Deputy of the Chainaqua Kingdom and a full member of Southern African Khoi and San Kingdom Council nationally and I’m recognised by all government departments. I had meetings with all Mayors in Overberg to inform them national government demands traditional leaders on every council. Now she is saying I’m corrupt and an opportunist. Businesses and farmers are happy about our protesting in a peaceful manner.”
Gardiner said the rotten apples in the councils must be gotten rid of to restore order in the Overberg.
“I want to thank the people of Hawston, Mount Pleasant, Kleinmond, Stanford and Zwelihle for having always had my back and, most importantly, the leadership of the Land Party of South Africa for supporting me.”
