The Amazwi Villager

By Bongekile Mhlanga

It started in the Greenvalley soccer field, on 24 July 2008, when supporters arrived in twelve buses. People were in high spirits: they sang, clapped hands and danced. One woman shouted, “Hallelujah!” with excitement. All the members wore shirts, hats, and T-shirts with ANC colors. Women wrapped ANC scarves around their heads, and ANC cloths around their waists or across their shoulders. One man was wearing a shirt with Mandela’s face on the front. Vuvuzelas and a mpalampala were the musical instruments of the day.

The march started only after Mr. Clifford Mkansi, a spokesperson for the ANC, had spoken. He said that the march was against the injustice done to the mayor. “We want the case to be back here in Acornhoek,” Mkansi said. The case had been moved to Polokwane, but Morema didn’t appear there because he had a court interdict from the High Court in Pretoria. Mrs. Violet, chairperson of the ANC’s Women’s League in Mpumalanga, said that it was painful for her to watch Morema being accused of the things he didn’t do because she is a mother, and knows how it is to give birth. She also said that this was a conspiracy to bury the mayor. “Those who want to bury Morema should dig a big enough hole to swallow the whole of Bushbuckridge,”she shouted into the microphone.

After Mrs. Violet had spoken, Isaac Mahlangu, the Mpumalanga Provincial Secretary of the ANC Youth League, said that they should beat and shoot to make sure that no one messed with Morema. “Shoot to kill for comrade Morema, shoot to kill!” he shouted. His screams were met with ululating and the blowing of whistles and vuvuzelas. Chanting, the people started marching to the Acornhoek police station. The police and traffic police cars were there to make sure that the march was peaceful and the marchers were protected from the traffic.

When they reached the police station, Isaac Mahlangu read the memorandum, which accused the other political parties of using the bereaved families for their own benefit. It also called for the case to be brought back to Acornhoek. The memorandum was then presented to the station commissioner who signed it along with Mr. Mkansi, an ANC representative. The people clapped. The commissioner thanked the marchers for their good behavior, and promised to take the memorandum to the relevant officials. At the police station Mrs. Violet told the marchers to go back to their buses, so they could get free T-shirts, much to the people’s delight.