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North West service delivery protests disrupt schooling

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Schooling has been disrupted in Braklaagte near Zeerust in the North West after residents embarked on a protest and barricaded the R49 road linking Zeerust and Gaborone in Botswana with debris.

Residents are demanding water provision from government. They say it’s been a while since they last received a drop of water.

Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu is expected to visit Lehurutshe on Friday to assess the situation.


Community representative Meleko Mogoeng says, “Residents say they will not reopen until they get relevant answers. There is nothing that is going to happen, no schooling we just closed the road and protest in peace. The mayor was here and we requested her to call a relevant contractor from Ngaka Modiri Molema because residents have been struggling with water for a long time.”

In a separate incident, protesting residents of Blydeville in Lichtenburg, North West, have torched two cement trucks. Police say the road linking Lichtenburg and Coligny has been closed as a result.

Police spokesperson, Captain Aafje Botma adds, “Police can confirm that some protest action on service delivery is currently underway in Blydeville, Lichtenburg. Two cement trucks were torched. Police are monitoring the situation, and surrounding roads will be closed. The public is asked to use alternative routes if possible.”

Arrive Alive also reported another protest action in Inanda, in KwaZulu Natal where protesters have torched a mobile clinic citing the lack of progress in fixing roads as the reason behind the protests.

The roads are littered with potholes despite former Transport MEC Peggy Nkonyeni’s pledge of more than R 2 billion for repairs in 2021.

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