Zuma addresses angry Balfour residents

May 22, 2010 5:23 PM | By Sapa
Angry Balfour residents heckled wildly when President Jacob Zuma made his second visit to the troubled Mpumalanga town.

President Jacob Zuma
Photograph by: .
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"Nothing has been done," thousands of residents who packed the Siyathemba stadium interrupted Zuma while he delivered his speech.

Brandishing placard residents refused to listen when speakers were addressing them from the podium.

Some of the placard read: "Usathane ungcono kune MP (the Satan is better than Mpumalanga)", "Gauteng feel it, it is here, Dipaleseng viva", and "Dipaleseng to Gauteng or no Elections".

"I have read your placard, so please put them down... I would understand your frustration had I not came here, but now we are here to give you feed back on your grievances, so give us a chance to talk to you," Zuma pleaded with the angry crowd.

He stressed that government was working tirelessly to resolve service delivery problems in the area.

"We must not be agitated. We must leave the matter to government. Some of the issues are being resolved," he said.

Zuma said he listened to residents complaints during his first visit and had consulted with ministers and local government on service delivery issues.

He said he had instructed them to visit the Balfour area and ascertain the extent of the problems.

"You said they came, promised, left and never came back. I came again to see if any progress has been made."

Zuma made an unannounced visit to Balfour after being sworn in as president last year.

Violent protests had engulfed the area at the time and Zuma announced measures to address the community's demands, and promised to visit again.

This time, Zuma said government was considering integrating Balfour into the Gauteng province.

A progress report -- with promises of a new clinic, water facilities and street lights -- was delivered to the residents.

Other dignitaries present were Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Social Development Minister Edna Molewa, and provincial MECs who suffered abuse while addressing the crowd.

In their address Ministers reported that the Department of Home Affairs opened its offices five days-a-week, while before Zuma's visit the office opened only two times a week.

In addressing housing backlogs in the area the Department of Public Works was in a process of buying two farms where new houses would be built.

The Department of Education has since improved its feeding scheme by providing free food to all schools in the township.

The Department of Social Services had trained 10 auxiliary social workers and 15 care givers.

The department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs had almost completed the construction of a clinic.

It also completed the construction of a disaster management centre and a community.

The department of Human Settlements reported that it was in a process of refurbishing old houses and building new ones for the community.

Residents' moods soon changed after demanding that Zuma sing his signature "Umshini wami" song.

Sunday Times

Comments by Sonny

Zuma is one step away from renewed Xenophobia in SA.

Let his and his cronies face the facts!