Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo has broken the government silence on the recent racial tensions at Hartbeespoort, North West, labelling the incidents as criminal acts that must be dealt with decisively.
Mahlobo emphasised that the government would not tolerate arson and vandalism, which have resulted in damage to property because of a racial spat in the area.
The Star previously reported that a raging racial war has intensified within the community of Schoemansville in Hartbeespoort where Afrikaans-speaking people were accused of attempting to drive out black people who were setting up businesses there.
Two black-owned properties have been set on fire recently with the latest having been burned to the ground last month.
Mahlobo acknowledged the historical context of the dam, built over 100 years ago during apartheid, and the subsequent racial segregation that restricted access to the facility.
The government has cancelled 99-year leases granted to privileged individuals and introduced new lease agreements to promote equity and socio-economic activities for previously disadvantaged communities.
Harties community development leader, Russel Baloyi, described Hartbeespoort as a hub of systemic racism, where white residents have established a network of exclusion, making it difficult for black entrepreneurs to operate.
“Over the years, white people have established Hartbeespoort as their centre of racism. So they are in charge of everything that happens there… So when black people start being interested in starting businesses there, that’s when the problem starts… This is about systematic racism. We need to acknowledge that over the years, white people have developed an attitude of superiority over blacks,” Baloyi said.
Businessman and owner of restaurant Legacy on the Dam, Hartley Ngoato, echoed these sentiments, citing discriminatory regulations and illegal occupation of government land by white individuals.
“As a black business you are denied the opportunity and right to participate or even operate. They subject you to horrendous regulations that they themselves as white do not follow. Such as when operating on government land as tenants, you are not allowed to build permanent structures, but these white people have built permanent structures on government land. This is an economic war over who is entitled to the economy.
“More than 50% of these white occupants don't have leases…The department must get its act together. They need to stop creating these problems,” Ngoato said.
Mahlobo assured that an investigation into allegations against department staff was under way, and the Human Rights Commission was addressing racial issues.
Mahlobo emphasised the need for equal opportunities and a fair audit of land occupation.
“The incident that has happened in Hartbeespoort must not be characterised with many words. What has happened is criminality… When individuals chose to burn down peoples assets in terms of arson. It’s a criminal activity that must be dealt with decisively by law enforcement.
“When it comes to the dam we need to indicate that most of the dams in SA that were built during the cause of apartheid include Hartbeespoort dam that is more than 100 years old.
“Those are the dams that belong to the state and in the main due to apartheid policies at the time the use of those facilities around the dam were performed around issues of racial basis,” he said.
Mahlobo added the arson was unfortunate.
“We have interacted with many stakeholders. We took a decision with the then minister that these dams cannot remain an island within communities where people are…Therefore communities that were displaced when these dams were formed, whether in Harties or Nandoni, are the people that this government must give them the access and economic opportunities whether for recreation, tourism or even for aquaculture because you have a dam next to you - it’s economic opportunity,” he said.
He said a decision had been made that the government would be cancelling these 99-year leases given to these people and would institute a new lease agreement.
The Star
mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za