Fed-up community members living along ‘New Road’, which runs between Ezakheni and Acaciavale, closed off the road, with burning tyres, debris and rocks, demanding to speak to uThukela District Municipal Mayor, Councillor Siphiwe Mazibuko, due to the lack of water and water service within the area.
The road was closed to all traffic which had to be diverted along Pieters Road on Monday, 30 August. “Do you know how it feels to sit and watch water tankers pass our houses and you have no water, do you know how that feels? Do you know how it feels to have the water pipes run past your house and you don’t have any water?” one of the protesters asked The Ladysmith Herald. The community further explained that even JoJo tanks that were donated to the residents, were taken away, because of the promise of water. “Yes, they took the JoJo tanks, after giving it to us, then we got taps that are dry since 2018.” The protestors said that since 2018 they have been hearing about water that will be provided to their homes but nothing has materialised. “We are tired of these lies, these empty promises,” said a protester. Protestors sat along the road said that they will not move until they have spoken to the Mayor. The calls to meet with the mayor did not materialise and protestors continued their road closure for most of the day.
