Suspect

MITCHELLS PLAIN, SOUTH AFRICA – MAY 02: Siqalo Informal Settlement residents protest against poor service delivery protests on May 02, 2018 in Mitchells Plain, South Africa. Siqalo residents took their anger over poor service delivery to the streets in violent protests that affected hundreds of commuters from Mitchells Plain and surrounding areas, the demonstrations erupted late last night, an ATM at a filling station, along with a shop and vehicle came under attack. (Photo by Gallo Images/ Netwerk24 / Jaco Marais)

Library in Kwa-Zulu Natal torched in service delivery protests

More government property has been affected by service delivery protests. In KZN, disgruntled residents torched a library…a haven for children to hone their knowledge…

Suspect

MITCHELLS PLAIN, SOUTH AFRICA – MAY 02: Siqalo Informal Settlement residents protest against poor service delivery protests on May 02, 2018 in Mitchells Plain, South Africa. Siqalo residents took their anger over poor service delivery to the streets in violent protests that affected hundreds of commuters from Mitchells Plain and surrounding areas, the demonstrations erupted late last night, an ATM at a filling station, along with a shop and vehicle came under attack. (Photo by Gallo Images/ Netwerk24 / Jaco Marais)

Things have turned ugly in Kwa-Zulu Natal as residents have taken to the streets to voice their displeasure with the poor service delivery they have received from the provincial government.

Where was the last service delivery protest?

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Arts and Culture has informed that the R1.9m modular library, KwaNokweja, was torched on Sunday night.

The library was near completion when it was set alight during service delivery protests in Ixopo. It would have provided complimentary internet access, had a study area and was planned to accommodate up to 100 people at a time.

What was the calculated loss from this service delivery protest?

According to the department, the library could have provided tertiary textbooks and other, much needed, resources for pupils with 3,000 library materials. This would have helped with improving literacy levels and access to information in Ward 11 and its surroundings.

MEC Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi said that “Access to information is a constitutional right for every South African. We build libraries to fulfil this mandate and uplift rural communities. We urge the community to isolate these criminals that have done this and work with law enforcement agencies to apprehend them.”

The police are currently investigating the blaze, which has delayed the department’s mandate. The department is forced to utilize the funds it had to improve the structure in rebuilding the library from its ashes.

The department’s plea to Ixopo society

Sithole-Moloi also pleaded that communities respect government property, asking all communities to honour and protect government facilities.

She added that “these facilities are meant to serve everyone in the community, both young and old. The [KwaNokweja] modular library was meant to assist the community and the children of that area to advance their knowledge and afford them access to information.”

The police have not made any arrests as of yet but have issued a warning to the public about the severity of such an act.