School project must not divide community

FED-UP RESIDENT WRITES:

First of all, let me explain that the abbreviation VTA stands for Vaalgras Traditional Authority. The revolt at this native settlement is nothing new neither a secret to all of us.

Let me take you back to the time before independence, when people were caring for each other, loved each other, had a cup of water for each other and had a common goal, which was independence.

When the apartheid colonial regime of South Africa closed down the then Government school at #Khoexas, Vaalgras in the middle of 1976, an Ecumenical Private School was built with the funding of Norway. The incumbent chief and his iron-hand special aide flew to secure funding for the construction of the school in the name of the Vaalgras traditional community. The exact amount was never disclosed to us and remain a top secret until today.

After independence, the common goal that people had changed drastically to everyone for himself and God for us all. The hardships have remained unchanged and although the white oppressors were out, it rather changed to brother against brother.

The economic struggle started and has taken its toll and only the haves continue to prosper. The much talked about fishing rights came into play again and once again a quota was taken out in the name of the same Vaalgras traditional community and the same "fat cats" continued to benefit, until they have changed the terms and conditions of the registration of the company.

The dust has settled somehow, but on the 14th of February 2009, the Vaalgras Concerned Group was born. There were problems and differences, but the community could not endure the economic suffering of the masses any longer. The now deposed leadership erroneously took the Vaalgras Concerned Group to the High Court on the 18th of April 2012 and lost the case.

At present a state-of-the-art primary school is being built at Vaalgras by the Education Ministry. Thanks to them for this endeavour to give the settlement a facelift.

The construction of this school is however now a serious bone of contention, dividing the people for economic benefits. There are some who are against the construction of the school and they are trying to sabotage it. There are claims that someone is apparently selling water and building sand to the contractors, which is pivotal for the project to continue. All these are manageable management discrepancies that could have been circumvented through round table discussions.

But the biggest problem is who is going to get what from the project? The water and the sand for #Khoexas school did not come from somewhere. It was taken from there.

I am very well aware that the deposed leadership is not interested in any economic development, if they cannot benefit in any way. If they are invited to any meeting, they will go and listen and keep quiet, if they are not going to benefit in any way.

I am reliably informed that the incumbent chief is not willing to attend a stakeholders meeting to iron out these misunderstandings. He has apparently been disregarded as usual.

They don't want to communicate with the community and just want to impose their hegemonic tyranny onto the community, which is wrong. Their failure in the dealing with the Farm Haichas issue is clear testimony of their inability to govern the traditional community, so they must go forever.