ANC intervenes veterans’ land debacle
Victor Mulangisi
Shirley Chisholm, an American politician, educator and author said, “You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas”.
The mother body of the war veterans (MKMVA) the African National Congress has come up with the great writer’s clever saying.
The past fourteen days were eventful in Kuruman where the war veterans reignited their preCovid-19 suspended onslaught against Ga-Segonyana local municipality and invaded a privately-owned land. The 2013 council resolution by the municipality that granted them prime land for residential purposes went on the rocks when the area was considered too dolomitic to be serviced by government.
The new administration of the municipality decided to sell the land to a private willing buyer and later pointed to a new spot where veterans could be accommodated. However, the decision was dangled by political bigwigs to settle their personal jigsaw puzzles entangling them. Instead of coming with a comprehensive remedy in addressing veterans’ land dispute they wanted to turn it into a pivot in which to nourish their political mileage.
The provincial executives of the party having gotten the wind of the development finally dispatched the provincial vice chairperson of the party Mr Bentley Vass who doubles as the MEC of COGHSTA to bring the feuding parties under one roof and take the bull by its horns. Hosted by the same municipality mayor Councilor Neo George Masegela the important meeting brought COGHSTA, municipality officials, war veterans and other interested parties together.
The allegations and suspicions levelled against the municipality went through a barometer. Facts and figures were brought to the attention of Mr Vaas. Reports from engineers produced by COGHSTA regional office and the municipality vindicated the municipality from the damning vilification of impropriety and underhand dealings. However, those facts did not quash the relevance of the veterans’ qualms revolving around the question, “Why did you sell our land before consulting us?”
