The City of Mhlathuze in northern KwaZulu-Natal says protests have disrupted the delivery of basic services across the municipality.
Videos circulating on social media show protesters using burning tyres to barricade a number of busy roads in Empangeni.
Others have parked trucks along intersections at John Ross Highway causing traffic congestion.
“The City of Mhlathuze municipality would like to inform all community members and business owners around the city especially at Empangeni and Richards Bay and surrounding suburbs also townships such as Esikhaleni and Enseleni that all services rendered by the City of Mhlathuze will slightly be delayed since they are interrupted due to the road blockages around John Ross Highway and many other sites of the city of Mhlathuze. It is believed that a group of protesters is also threatening to burn trucks passing through the town,” says Mhlathuze spokesperson Mduduzi Ncalane.
Former President Jacob Zuma’s daughter Dudu Zuma-Sambudla has taken to social media to say the protesters who are burning tyres on a number of busy roads in Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal are her father’s supporters.
This contradicts provincial police who have denied reports that the protesters are pro-Zuma supporters.
The police’s Thembeka Mbhele says there is no evidence that the protests are linked to an alleged shutdown of roads and businesses by pro-Zuma supporters.
In the video below, SABC traffic correspondent Rob Byrne has more on the situation on the roads:
