Johannesburg — KHUTSONG's demarcation battle has at last moved from the streets to the Constitutional Court.

A great relief! Still, the war scenes outside the court -- with some protesters brandishing knives and burning tyres -- are worrying and should be condemned. Acts of anarchy are undermining the struggle of Khutsong.

I have always been of the view that the government erred in its response to the Khutsong saga. Ignoring the majority views of residents, expressed in consultative forums, is a betrayal of democracy. But the government's error of judgment should not be used as a license for chaos and destruction. Two wrongs don't make a right.

It's true, the government is fallible and should be criticised for its defects. Civic engagement is good for democracy but there are legal channels to mount these challenges. The courts are there to allow individuals and groups to challenge people they believe have violated the rules and infringed on their rights.

But the effectiveness of the courts is directly proportional to our willingness to abide by their decisions. It is in this light that the utterances by the South African Communist Party's (SACP's) Gauteng chairman, Nkosiphendule Kolisile, are unfortunate. He is reported to have said that violence may flare again if the court rules against the Khutsong residents (City Press, September 23). This is political blackmailing of the bench.

Violence has been a constant feature of Khutsong's demarcation struggle -- an effective strategy in silencing dissenting voices within Khutsong. First it was the African National Congress councillors, whose houses were torched. Their crime was to support the government's position of transferring Merafong to North West; a welcomed move to end cross-boundary municipalities.

Khutsong was not the only municipality to be affected by this decision. A case in point is the Matatiele community, which chose a peaceful way of challenging the state, by going to the courts. Khutsong opted for violence and anarchy. This led to the shutdown of much needed essential services in the township.

Effective schooling was disrupted. Foreign-owned shops were burned down. Khutsong is today a failed municipality -- a direct result of leadership bankruptcy from all parties concerned. The statements attributed to the SACP leadership in Khutsong will only worsen a tense situation. Khutsong is a time bomb waiting to explode, a poisoned environment characterised by anger and mistrust. Kolisile's words are the "matchstick" that could spark more anarchy.

It is unbecoming of a senior leader to attack the integrity of the judiciary. The courts are at the heart of political democracy. Our democracy depends on a court system that is independent of executive and legislative branches of government. It secures the rights of individuals and restrains the government from abusing its power. It is our collective responsibility to be vigilant against any form of political blackmail of the judiciary.

We may not agree with some of the courts' decisions, but it's our duty to defend their independence. It will be a sad chapter in our democracy when political leaders start prescribing what the courts must do. It is an insult to the integrity of the bench.

Or maybe his statement is a sign of desperation by the SACP as pressure starts to mount. Are the street-fighting and the bullying tactics merely an attempt to divert attention away from their poor leadership style?

The legacy of the SACP's leadership in Khutsong is at stake. It is in the party's best interests to redeem itself by exercising political maturity and restraint. It is Bill Clinton who once said: "We have freedom of speech but also responsibility to speak civilly, freedom of assembly but also responsibility to assemble peaceably."

Freedom demands mutual responsibility from all of us, especially the leaders. The cycle of violence in Khutsong must end. This will require bold, responsible and honest leadership, not populism intent on securing sectarian political interests.

Let's give the Constitutional Court the benefit of the doubt. Let's not light another match in an already flammable situation.

Ntyintyane is a medical doctor and clinical researcher at Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital.