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Cape Town - Disgruntled activists for Khoi and San rights surprised Parliament on Monday when they tried to push through the gates.
About 20 people wearing military camouflage and the T-shirts of their newly-formed political party, Khoisan Revolution, made a small ceremonial fire outside the gates.
Using powders, grass and sticks from his buck skin bag, !'Aru /Khuisi twisted a stick until he got smoke, then flames.
(Photos by Jenni Evans, News24)
Leader Stanley Pietersen declared war until the Khoi got what they needed, but then later said they did not want to fight.
They had been sidelined by everybody, he said, and would not put up with it anymore. They were tired of being called coloured and want to be called Khoi.
The police came from all sides of the precinct and pushed them back, with more than a little grunting and scuffling from both sides.
A man came out of Parliament to speak to them and they complained that they had not heard anything since dropping off a memorandum on December 3.
In that memorandum, they said they wanted their land back, after being displaced over the centuries as South Africa's "first people".
The activists try to push through the gates.
They also wanted Khoi soldiers to be integrated into the SA National Defence Force.
While waiting for some feedback from the officials, an archer idly shot an arrow into the air and into the precinct. A policeman gave him a stern warning not to do it again.
A mini amplifier was switched on with some dance tunes and Afrikaans pop. A protest within a protest began when a young shirtless and tattooed man joined the fray and started shouting.
The protesters were still waiting for feedback by 12:30.
