Gauteng MEC for agriculture, environment, rural development and social development, Mbali Mhlope, was scheduled to meet with farmers in Gauteng in the West Rand on Wednesday, 18 January. The event was however disrupted by community members whom the MEC’s office claimed were dressed in EFF regalia.
“Community members of the EFF stopped the engagements between the MEC and the farmers,” the MEC’s office told Food For Mzansi.
The office said the group of community members came out of nowhere and disrupted the programme before it could start. The non-event would have been MEC Mhlope’s first official engagement with farmers in the province since her appointment in October last year.
The MEC allegedly tried to engage the crowd, but they refused and the department abandoned the engagement for safety purposes.
“The engagement has been postponed to next week at the auditorium of the MEC offices,” confirmed Mathapelo Nhlapo, the director of corporate communications of the Gauteng department of agriculture and rural development.
Reasons behind protest unknown
Meanwhile Nicky Mabokela, a Gauteng official for the African Farmer’s Association of South Africa (Afasa) who was present at the event, confirmed the disruption.
“I arrived as a speaker and part of the panel, and we were sitting on the stage. The MEC was standing in front speaking when five young boys came in causing a commotion,” he told Food For Mzansi.
He, however, said the intruders were dressed in white T-shirts that appeared to be ANC T-shirts. The intruders were addressed by the mayor of the West Rand, Boyce Maneli and Nhlanhla Lux.
“I’m eager to know why the dialogue was disrupted because even at this moment, the department has not said anything to update us,” said Mabokela.
He explained that due to the fear of being barricaded inside the building, members of the panel and the farmers on the floor requested to leave the building one by one. “It was a meeting with the farmers and the MEC, I don’t know why political parties were involved,” he said.
- This article was updated to accurately reflect that community members disrupted the MEC’s meeting with farmers and not protestors as previously stated.
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