Swellendam community centre burnt down as residents rampage over electricity hike and indigent policy

Ah yes, the requirement to apply annually to ensure your criteria are correct, with the two- faced municipality. Several implied "non indigent" communities falling under Swellendam administration have no services. As in, no water supply, no sewerage provision, no electricity, and zero road maintenance in years (dust roads). Good luck with an application for "free services" under such circumstances. Notwithstanding this situation of zero provision of an infrastructure the Swellendam municipality came ups with the wheeze of a unilaterally applied "infrastructure charge" which unlike a rates charge is subject to VAT. Enquiries as to which infrastructure they were referring to, it transpires that it is a Railton fund to fix potholes. Since both the municipal offices and the community centre and fire vehicles have been torched, can we assume this "unfair" charge will increase to the detriment of those with zero services. The good citizens of Railton are not the only disgruntled rate payers.

Received some voice notes ,I know people in Railton,Swellendam .They call the people rioting "inkommers".In other words they come from other areas and haven't been there long

Direct result of the ANC's social policy. Instead of building an economy to employ educated people and give them self respect and the ability to support themselves, they are led into the abyss of poor education, free this, free that, social grants and a life of entitlement. Now the money has run out. As any person who has a very basic understanding of the way the world works. Sounds great until you run out of other peoples money.

Why America is GREAT! Because of their policy 'Shoot to kill arsonists!' South Africa needs a 'State of emergency' where special orders are issued to the military, private security and ordinary citizens to 'shoot to kill' arsonists and to 'shoot to detain' looters of shops etc. There's no easy way out of anarchy!

Please do not ever rebuild what has been burnt down. These people need to live with the consequences of their actions.

This seems from 120km away like a repeat of the stupid CPT taxi war that cost ordinary people R4b in two weeks. On the one side you have an objectively measured technocrat quoting this and that law that must be enforced. On another side you have reality. Everybody with half a brain knows what the consequences of enforcement will be in a community that practically and objectively has no options. There is today 20Sept absolutely and entirely no difference in CPT taxi situation since May 2023. 5 million workers were disrupted and unpaid from 75 million shifts. Factories are at late Sept running weekend shifts to try and catch up. Go JP, go :/ :/ My impression is the same obstinate attitude of dislocating theory and reality is at play in Swellendam.

This is 100% anc driven.

In Oudtshoorn the "paying ratepayers" fund just over 50% of the total population comprising mostly " inkommers without any direct assistance from provincial or the anc government. A recent peaceful protest by beleaguered ratepayers was met by the DA launching a high court act action against the organisers.... This u ding and rampant siakism in small, rural towns is simply not sustainable and will be the death knell of these old and once vibrant communities forcing most back to the he'll-hole cities crumbling around the country. And yet the anc sit in their ivory towers as if all is well....phhht!

What can be said when ONE word says it all: "INKOMMERS"! And Railton - and a hundred more like that area - NEVER hear what can be done, for them and by them - because the SABC has all information broadcasts tied up by ANC Cadres! Only the preached NDR language is allowed! ANC are disgustingly disingenuous, dishonestly so actually; an immoral bunch with no conscience.

So they set alight the community that was being used to provide services to them. And they want to continue to protest for lack of services. What an irony!