Ramaphosa and some of his delegation had to urgently fly back to attend to protests crippling the Supra Mahumapelo led province.
At the core is service delivery and resignation of Mahumapelo who is the Premier of NW.
In a media statement the Presidency said Ramaphosa would address an “urgent meeting” with the ANC‚ Leagues Alliance and the ANC caucus in the province on Friday at 12pm in Mahikeng.
The party’s secretary-general Ace Magashule‚ deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte and national executive committee (NEC) members in the province will join Ramaphosa.
Looting of shops, streets closures and recently the shutdown of a Border Gate between SA and Botswana is a sign that things have gone bad in the capital City of Mahikeng, a resembles of a ghost town.
So tense is the situation a police armoured vehicle was petrol bombed and another overturned as looting and rioting continued unabated.
Protests were also exacerbated by shortage of medicines at hospitals and pile-up of bodies at mortuaries, according to an impeccable source who works at the health department.
“It’s a total devastation that a body can lie at the mortuary without access by family members to attend to it as there are no facilities to care for it,” he said in shock.
“(Un) fortunately these protests are aimed at Premier and his cohorts but the reality is the ordinary citizens are feeling the pinch.”
Members of the National education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) have been on strike since February 26, demanding the dismissal of head of department Dr Thabo Lekalakala; termination of contracted companies by the department; bonus payment of five percent across the board to all employees in the department; payment of occupation specific dispensation (OSD) for employees at provincial office and salary increase of Community Health Workers salaries.
The North West provincial government said Lekalakala was suspended on Thursday, for disciplinary proceeding against him could start.
The Hawks raided Mahumapelo’s office last month amid investigations linked to leaked documents that implicate Mahumapelo’s office in maladministration‚ fraud and corruption.
Mahumapelo’s home in Mahikeng was heavily guarded following reports that it was going to be torched. The Mcdonald restaurant owned by Mahumapelo was also torched.
Meanwhile, with the so called “Premier League” having crumbled after the downfall of ex-President JG Zuma and installation of FS’s Ace Magashule (ANC SG) and Mpumalanga David Mabuza (dep president) it was now left to Mahumapelo to fend for himself.
Will he survive your guess is just good as mine…?
