Protests flare up in eThekwini amid water supply briefing by city
Several protests flared up in Durban on Wednesday morning, which seem to coincide with eThekwini's urgent briefing over service delivery issues.
Demonstrators in the Tongaat area are demanding access to water and electricity.
The N2 between Gingindlovu and the Fairbreeze turn-off has been blocked and is a no-go zone.
Pierre Conradie from Alpha Security drove through the area.
"This morning, when I passed there just after 05h00, there were about 60 to 70 people on the scene blocking the road, demanding water and also mines around the area. They were dragging trees across the N2 and lighting it. It wasn't volatile. People were standing behind it screaming and shouting."
Community members in Flamingo Heights, also north of Durban, are protesting on Belvedere Drive.
A resident from an informal settlement, Thembela Makhiloy, says the city has failed to honour its promises to repair their homes.
ALSO READ: Verulam residents continue water protests
He says their roofs are covered in rust, and there are no drainage systems.
"And when you are complaining to the municipality about those conditions before, we were forced to accept them. They said we were only going to stay there for three years, and that was a long time ago in 2019. It’s been five years now, and there is no sign of houses, and we don't know why we are placed in this place.
"We are frustrated. We've got thousands and thousands of people here who are prepared to take the march through to Tongaat."
The eThekwini Municipality held an urgent media briefing on Wednesday to discuss the hurdles hindering its ability to meet Thursday’s deadline for restoring water to affected communities.
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